


The Love Between Us

by railou



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: X & Y | Pokemon X & Y Versions
Genre: Ash and Pikachu being idiots, But still idiots, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, Lovely idiots, Minor Violence, Romance, Team Rocket being twerps
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-10-04
Packaged: 2018-08-11 23:48:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 35,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7912267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/railou/pseuds/railou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a situation with Team Rocket takes an unpredictable turn, Ash ends up in a hospital and guilt ridden Pikachu is blaming himself for no real reason. Professor Oak tries to find Pikachu a temporary caretaker and a playmate to occupy him while Ash is recovering. Certain three young people are interested in the job, and one of them might have some additional interests too concerning Ash… eventual Amourshipping! (Ash/Serena)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to my first fic on this site! I must warn you: this is actually my first fic in years. Also, this is not Beta-read and English is not my first language. I did my best, but you know... sorry in advance for any weird phrases and such.  
> Okay, so some things to know about:  
> \- This is an alternative timeline to the XY(&Z) -series: "What if Ash didn't meet Bonnie and Clemont in Lumiose City?" Because of that, Ash has gone through Kalos at a much quicker pace and with less distractions.  
> \- Ages of the main characters: Ash (16), Clemont (17), Serena (15), Bonnie (8)  
> \- The speech of Pokémon will be translated in cursive, but the human characters will only hear gibberish. Of course some people are better at understanding their Pokémon friends than others.  
> \- WARNING: Story contains minor violence and descriptions of injuries.  
> \- Also warning: my knowledge of any injury treatment is limited, so bear with me if yours is not. Heh.
> 
> Lastly: ENJOY! I shall cherish every comment I get like they were my own children.

It had started just like any other Team Rocket scheme.

Ash had been travelling in the Kalos region for a while now, mostly alone, since no one he had met and befriended during his journey had been able to leave their homes or jobs to come along with him. Next on his gym list was Lumiose City which he was finally allowed to challenge after managing to win four gym badges in other towns. He was walking along a forest path towards the city, no longer than a days’ worth of travel ahead of him, when suddenly Pikachu’s ears went rigid and his tiny nails prickled Ash’s shoulder through the fabric of his shirt.

“What is it Pikachu?” Ash asked, stopping to look around the quiet forest. “Did you hear something?”

 _‘I did, and I don’t like it. Sounded like those three idiots’_ , Pikachu answered, though of course Ash only heard his Pokémon language. Ash was still able to understand that something was bothering his friend. He turned around in a slow circle, staring into the darkening forest and trying his hardest to hear anything that might have alerted Pikachu. And as to be expected, it wasn’t long before a large shadow rose above the treetops behind him and Pikachu shouted in alarm, leaping off his shoulder.

“Pikachu!” Ash shouted, whipping his body around looking for the threat, but instead getting face full of net that quickly expanded and captured him in a neat bag. “Hey! Who-“

The answer came without asking. “Prepare for trouble!”

“And make it double!”

“Please not again”, Ash said, but it was no use. Ash sighed, listening to the mantra and looking up to the hot air balloon where Team Rocket was standing, performing their ridiculous poem. Meanwhile Pikachu was trying his hardest to scratch, bite and cut through the rope of the net around him, but to no avail. ‘ _Pikapi!’_ he exclaimed, worried. It was supposed to be him in the net, not Ash. Team Rocket realized this too, after a while of unnecessary babbling.

“Hey!” said James. “We got the wrong twerp.”

“I can see that”, said Meowth.

“This was supposed to be easy, him being finally all alone and everything”, Jessie said, angrily. “Just launch another net already.”

Ash was fuming, but the net was binding him in a tight sitting position and he wasn’t able to do much of anything.  “Dodge it, Pikachu!” he shouted, when a new net was flying towards them. This was an easy job for the experienced Pokémon, and he jumped towards Ash, cheeks sparkling with electricity. Jessie and James quickly accepted this wasn’t going to go smoothly, so they released their own Pokémon, calling them to attack.

It was two against one, not counting Wobbuffet’s counterstrike and all of Team Rocket’s various capturing gadgets. Ash knew it would end badly, for Pikachu. He gritted his teeth, tried one more time to break free and said then to the creature beside him launching attacks up to the offenders: “Pikachu, you need to go! They want you, not me. Please run and get help!”

Pikachu stopped his thunderbolt attacks only for a moment to shout: _‘Are you stupid, Pikapi? They would most likely catch me anyway, you just said a few hours ago that there is still a long way to the nearest Pokémon Center. I am not leaving you alone anyway, got it?’_

Unfortunately shouting all of this to the clueless ears of his best friend left Pikachu vulnerable to Pumpkaboo’s shadow ball, and he got blown backwards. Ash was shouting his name, struggling in his binds. “Please, Pikachu! I’ll be fine, please go!” he cried, desperate, but Pikachu wasn’t listening to any of it. He got back up, assuming his position in front of Ash, but was already visibly tired from the unbalanced battle.

“Such a touching relationship”, James said, not touched at all. “Inkay, let’s finish this. Psybeam! Give it all you got!”

With a massive sound, Pikachu’s and Inkay’s attacks collided in midair and Ash had to close his eyes for a moment against the blinding lightshow. Pikachu was still screaming his attack beside him, but stopped suddenly, sounding surprised. Ash opened his eyes to see the familiar blue-white light of evolution shining from the direction of the hot air balloon. Even Team Rocket’s voices had quieted, everyone staring shocked at the evolving Inkay.

“No way”, Ash gasped.

 _‘We are finished’_ , said Pikachu.

“What do you know”, Jessie said, triumphant. “We have a Malamar now.”

 _‘We are_ so _finished now.’_

“Pikachu, please.” Ash was begging now, worried out of his mind. “That’s a hypnotic Pokémon. Run!”

Pikachu too was starting to realize the extent of their troubles. Sadly it was way too late. Malamar had floated down, facing the terrified Pikachu.

“Malamar, make Pikachu take care of that twerp”, James commanded.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I promised, this chapter is a much longer one. A whole lot of talking is happening this time, I'm afraid, but it's necessary. I hope you like it anyways. Next chapter will be quite exciting.
> 
> Without further ado, ENJOY!

_URGENT! Searching for:_

_A caring, energetic person within Lumiose City with a lot of free time to act as a temporary caregiver for a well-trained but restless Pokémon, while his trainer is unable to due being hospitalized. Needs to be reliable and available almost constantly for at least a month. Kanto-based Pokémon Pikachu is unwilling to go into his Poké ball and will need continuous supervision while his trainer is resting. Previous experience dealing with Pokémon is required. Please contact me for additional information if you feel like taking up this task._

Professor Oak stared at the text he had written, still half unable to accept the reality of the situation. Ash was in the best care possible in Lumiose City, parts of his skin and entrails damaged with electrical burns and heart weak and unstable from enduring high voltage currents. In the short moments Ash had been awake he had been unwilling to confirm his Pikachu's involvement in the incident, but it was quite clear what had caused all of his injuries. It was still unclear what had happened between them or _to_ them, but judging by Pikachu's depressed behavior, he hadn't just suddenly turned evil and attacked his trainer. Something or someone must have had made him do it.

Ash's other Pokémon were no problem in the end. They were devastated and worried, of course, but could be easily transported to Oak's farm for some peace and support, and back to Ash when necessary. Pikachu was a different story. He wouldn't leave his best friends side even though Ash was asleep for most of the time, and wouldn't eat or sleep probably just to punish himself. Oak knew he needed distractions, someone to spend his time with and a chance to let out some frustrations and deal with his emotions on a controlled manner.

It wouldn't be easy at first. Not for the caregiver or for Pikachu. Pikachu would be stubborn, angry, or even aggressive if the person tried to take him out of the hospital. But he had to try. Maybe, just maybe he could find a person able to connect with Pikachu and make his time without Ash just a little bit easier.

Professor Sycamore in Lumiose City was aware of the situation, and would be able to supervise the person assigned to Pikachu. He would contact Professor Oak immediately if something seemed suspicious. Ash's other Pokémon were also free to live in his garden if they felt like staying nearer to their trainer. It would be fine, Oak repeated to himself over and over. Just get through these first few weeks.

He wrote contact information below his message and hit send.

* * *

"Hey big bro, come look at this!"

Clemont was elbow-deep in his latest invention and only responded with a distracted "what is it Bonnie", before going back to his furious mutter-screwing. Bonnie was having none of it this time. She rose from the computer, walked up to his brother and smacked his head as hard as she could.

"Ow!" Clemont cried, suddenly only marginally interested in his invention. "Bonnie! What was that for?"

Bonnie just shrugged. "This might be important. Come on."

Clemont followed her this time, rubbing the sore spot on his head. His annoyed expression quickly turned serious when he read the message labelled as urgent from professors Oak and Sycamore. An unwell trainer from Kanto of all places, here in Lumiose City Hospital. A Pikachu unwilling to go into its Poké Ball, getting restless and probably worried out of its mind. Clemont read the message through again, and realized he fit all the criteria mentioned perfectly.

Clembot was in full working condition, finally even reprogrammed from the 'you must have four gym badges or I shall annihilate you' –mode, so Clemont had all the free time he wanted. He was a gym leader, so trust wouldn't be an issue. He even _specialized_ in electric type Pokémon. He had the patience, energy and skills to deal with a distraught Pokémon. And Bonnie, even though not yet a trainer herself, had certainly enough compassion and love to give to any kind of cute creature she would come across.

"It would kind of be a crime _not_ to take this, don't you think?" Bonnie said, after noticing how quiet his brother had gotten. She looked at the picture of the small yellow Pokémon attached to the message. "Anyway, that Pikachu is super cute, and it needs a friend, so who am I to say no."

Clemont nodded slowly. "You are absolutely right Bonnie. This is a task made for us. I think we should at least ask the professors if the position is still available."

"Yay!" Bonnie exclaimed. "You are the best!"

Clemont smiled. "I'll go wash my hands and then we go to professor Sycamores lab."

* * *

"Professor Sycamore? Hello?" Clemont asked, pushing open the front door of the lab. Bonnie was right behind him, looking around for signs of life. It wasn't long before a tall, slim man rushed around the corner, dark hair a mess and lab coat billowing around him.

"Hello there", he said, managing a tired but friendly smile. "Can I help you?"

Clemont cleared his throat. "Oh, yes, um… My name is Clemont, this is my sister Bonnie. We are here about the sick trainer and his Pikachu?"

Professor Sycamore's smile turned sad. "That is great, thank you very much. Please follow me."

The siblings shared a look and hurried then after the professor.

"You were very fast", the professor said as they were walking along a corridor. "We weren't really expecting much of a response… You see, the Pikachu in question is quite the character. We require a lot from the candidate. I warn you right now: it will not be easy. I hope you are aware that you might have to sacrifice a lot of time for this."

"We do realize that", Bonnie piped in. "We have a lot of time to spend, and you know, Clemont is the electric type gym leader of this city!"

This gave professor Sycamore a pause and he turned a surprised look at Clemont. Clemont smiled nervously. "That is true. I have no real experience with Pikachu, but I do have knowledge of them."

Professor Sycamore nodded approvingly. "How about your gym? Aren't you needed there?"

"Not really", Clemont answered, giving a short laugh. "I have invented a gym leader robot to battle with challengers, as I enjoy my time more inventing and brainstorming than battling."

"That is amazing", professor Sycamore said impressed. "You seem like a very smart, capable young man, exactly someone we only dreamed to find."

Clemont blushed and Bonnie giggled. Professor Sycamore turned to look at the young girl with a fond smile. "How about you, Bonnie? You seem a bit too young to be a trainer yet?"

"Oh yeah, I'm still just eight", Bonnie said cheerily. "But I have played with Clemont's Pokémon all my life and I just _love_ all of the cute creatures. I want to do everything I can to help that poor Pikachu!"

"Sounds great. I'm sure you will do a fine job." They had stopped in front of a door and the professor placed his hand on the door knob. "We will now make a call to the trainer's home town in Kanto. Professor Oak is the one who originally gave that Pikachu to him on the first day of his Pokémon journey. He will tell you more about the situation and you can ask him anything you can think of. We only ask you to be respectful towards the trainer's personal and medical information. When he is feeling better, you can then talk to him all you want, and I'm sure Ash is more than willing to answer all of your questions himself."

_Ash_ , Clemont thought. That was the first time he heard the Pikachu's owner's name. "Understood", he said, Bonnie agreeing as well, and with that the professor pushed the door open.

It was a small room, only furnished with a bookcase, few chairs and an office desk with a monitor above it. "Please, take a seat", professor Sycamore said, indicating to a pair of chairs in front of the monitor. "I will make a call and ask if he is available right now."

It only took a couple of minutes before the monitor suddenly lit up and there was a face of an older man looking at them. He was smiling, though he looked tired the same way professor Sycamore had looked. He waved his hand with his greeting.

"Hello again professor Oak", professor Sycamore greeted back his tone friendly. "Would you have some time now to talk to these kids? I think they are great candidates for taking care of Ash's Pikachu."

Professor Oak seemed as surprised as the other professor had been hearing this. "Oh? Yes, of course! I am so glad to hear this."

_They both seem so very concerned about Ash and Pikachu's situation_ , Clemont thought, suddenly nervous again. _I wonder what happened to them. And what if the Pikachu really is out of control and we cannot do anything for it?_

"Excellent", professor Sycamore said. "Clemont, Bonnie, I need to go now for a while, but professor Oak will take it from here. Remember, don't be afraid to ask him about anything!"

"Okay!" Bonnie chirped. "Thank you professor!"

"Thank you", Clemont said as well, and after a quick wave the professor was out of the room.

"So", said Oak. "Bonnie and Clement, was it?"

"That's right", said Bonnie.

"Clemont, actually", said Clemont, but he was pretty sure it got drowned under his sisters loud voice.

"Great", continued professor Oak, distractedly pushing something big and purple and slimy-looking out of the frame. "You probably want to know something about Ash and his Pikachu."

"Yes, um…" Clemont started, but Bonnie war faster, as usual, asking: "Why doesn't Pikachu go into his Poké Ball?"

Oak chuckled briefly. "There is no real reason for it besides that he just doesn't like to be in there _at all_. After I let him out of his ball a bit over six years ago, I don't think he has been in it ever since."

"So he just follows Ash everywhere?" Clemont asked, intrigued.

"Yes and no." The look on Oak's face was very fond and very sad at the same time. "Ash pretty much carries him everywhere on his shoulder."

"Wow, that's so cool", Bonnie exclaimed, getting a dreamy look in her eyes. "Their relationship must be super strong."

"It is quite exceptional", Oak agreed. "So you might now understand a little better why Pikachu is so distraught about his best friend being able to stay awake only a few hours per day. Unfortunately it's not even the whole reason for his gloomy behavior."

"What else is there?" Clemont asked, suddenly worried.

"The details of that night are not completely clear to us either", sighed professor Oak. "Ash is still too weak to be properly questioned, and he hasn't really told us much about anything willingly. All we know is that most of his injuries are caused by high voltage electricity, and that the first thing he said when he woke up in the emergency room was: 'It wasn't Pikachu's fault.'"

Clemont felt too shocked to react, his brain going overdrive trying to think up explanations. "Oh no", gasped Bonnie, pressing her hands over her mouth. "That sounds really bad."

"It does", Oak admitted. "We can only assume Pikachu was somehow pressured or even hypnotized to do it against his own will. It would explain why he is now very depressed, acting guilty and being overprotective towards Ash. He won't leave Ash's room. It's now the third day after the incident and he still hasn't eaten anything we have offered him. We really need someone to be there for him during the course of Ash's recovery. I just don't want him to go through it alone."

The speech had gotten pretty emotional towards the end, and Bonnie was wiping her eyes, thinking about the cute, soft-looking yellow Pokémon in a dead-silent hospital room, all alone next to his unconscious friend, irrationally thinking it was all his fault. She looked at her big brother, who seemed at least as shaken as she felt, pale and still.

Slowly, Clemont shook himself out of his shock. "We understand now, and we will do absolutely everything we can, for both of them. But, professor Oak… What about Ash, is he safe? I mean – he was attacked, right? Is there someone after him?"

"We don't really know that either", Oak said, almost frustrated. "We asked about that too, of course, but Ash only said it was over and that there was nothing to worry about. I didn't really believe him – seriously, you don't know him like I do, that kid is a danger magnet – so there is now an officer stationed outside his room at all times. We hope to learn more about the possible attackers later, when he is feeling better. And more talkative."

"Okay, that's good to hear at least", Clemont said, wondering what the professor had meant with Ash being a danger magnet. "So… any friends or family we should know about?"

"Oh, Ash has plenty of friends", Oak chuckled. "The thing is, everyone I know about are from different regions, and all of them have their own problems to take care of. I have contacted those of them I know and trust, and they will certainly visit him whenever they can, but it is quite expensive and time consuming to travel between regions. Although I was very surprised when I heard that Ash has been traveling this long in Kalos without any long-term traveling companions. He always seems to make friends so easily."

"Maybe there just wasn't anyone who had the time to go along on such a long journey", Bonnie wondered, thinking again about Clemont and her. They would have had the time.

"Yes, that is very likely. Anyway, his mother is there in Lumiose City right now. She also has responsibilities here in Kanto and can't stay indefinitely, but she has taken some time off to be with him now. She is a very lovely woman, but this has been extremely hard for her. I'm sure you understand."

"Absolutely", Clemont said. "About Pikachu's-"

The door of the room opened suddenly and professor Sycamore's head peeked into the room. "Sorry to interrupt", he said, "but I have someone else here interested in Pikachu, too."

As Bonnie and Clemont watched in confusion, he came further into the room followed by a pretty, blue-eyed girl. "Hi", the girl said, smiling slightly. "My name is Serena."

* * *

It was another unsuccessful day of Rhyhorn training, and Serena came home very pissed and very sore.

"How was it honey?" Grace, her mother, called from the kitchen.

"Fun", mumbled Serena and headed straight upstairs into her room. She opened up her computer to go check the forums again for jobs, apprenticeships, _anything_ to get her out of here. She felt like she was stuck in her life, clueless about her dreams and only doing things she was told to do by others. It was time to take control of her own life.

Serena was given a pause by a new post pinned on top of the page, labelled as urgent. She might not have been the most enthusiastic Pokémon trainer, but she did care a whole lot about Pokémon. She also had years of experience of managing even the big, occasionally very agitated Rhyhorn, getting them to calm down just with her voice and body language. She didn't care how long she would have to stay away from home, as she had been yearning to get away for such a long time now. Spending time with an experienced trainer and their Pokémon might also really inspire her to find her own way.

Serena looked at her watch. Leaving home would have to wait until tomorrow, so she would have time to think about it overnight. Now it was time to face her mom.

Serena took a deep breath, squared her shoulders, lifted her chin and walked back down to the kitchen. "Mom? I need to talk to you."

Grace turned around surprised; there was something different about her daughter's voice and demeanor. "Of course. What is it?"

"I found a job I would like to take", Serena said, refusing to look away when her mother furrowed her brow in confusion.

"That's… great, I think", Grace said, still unsure where this was going.

"It's in Lumiose City", Serena continued, and added quickly: "I'll leave tomorrow."

That was just a bit of a shock for Grace. "Lumiose City? That's not so far away but… why tomorrow? That seems rather a short notice."

"I know mom", Serena sighed, "but it's urgent. There is a sick or injured trainer in the City Hospital whose Pokémon needs a caregiver. I really want to go see professor Sycamore and ask if I could try for the position. This is a great chance for me to get out there and do something important. Maybe even while in there I might finally choose my first own Pokémon!"

Grace thought about this for a minute, eventually sighing and smiling down at her daughter. "While I will be sad to see you go, I am also very proud of you right now. You have really grown up and I am sure you can face any challenge. Go there and search for your passion. But of course you can come back here at any time."

"Thank you mom!" Serena exclaimed, hugging her mother in joy.

"It might be a tough job Serena, caring for someone else's Pokémon. Don't let any setbacks get you down." Grace advised kindly.

_Don't give up until it's over_ , Serena thought. "I know. I won't."

"Now, how about some dinner?" Grace smiled. "And let's talk about what you will need to take with you."

* * *

Arriving finally at professor Sycamore's lab the following day, Serena felt both excited and nervous. She stepped into the quiet building, calling for the professor. Soon he emerged from a nearby room, looking quite busy. He still greeted her with a friendly smile. "How can I help you?"

"I, um… I-", Serena took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "I would like to be the caretaker for the Pikachu in need, if the position is still available." It came out rushed, in a one big breath, and Serena tugged at her hair embarrassed.

Professor Sycamore was stunned. "Another one?" he gasped, and Serena frowned. "I mean – I am very impressed. We actually already have a couple of interested in here right now, talking with professor Oak." He noticed Serena's disappointed look, and continued: "But I would still like to hear your story, too. Maybe all of you can work together as a team. Every one of you seems to have a great spirit, to want to take on such a difficult job in a very short notice."

Serena blushed, flattered. "Thank you, but... I just want to do my part, as I have the time and hopefully also the skills needed for this. Also, I wouldn't mind working with others. I believe our abilities would complement each other and make the task easier for everyone."

Professor Sycamore approved this insight. "I think you are right. Now, let's talk a bit about you and your background with Pokémon, and then we shall go join the others."

* * *

Professor Oak was beaming with newfound happiness.

"You will make a great team", he cheered, making the three kids give an awkward laugh. "Pikachu will be fine in no time, I'm sure!"

They had been talking for a while now. Serena had met with professor Oak, Clemont and Bonnie and gotten a brief summary of the situation. They had discussed the best ways to approach Pikachu and what they all knew beforehand about circumstances like this one. Oak was very impressed with the brave kids and felt already better than in days. This might actually work out.

Serena still had one more question to ask, and she felt very nervous about it. "Just one more thing, professor Oak", she began. "I- I was in a summer camp in Kanto, about ten years ago. Your summer camp, I think."

Oak grinned, surprised. "Amazing! It's great that you remembered."

"Yes, but", Serena went on. "There was this kid, Ash, in the same group with me. I just wonder… you know. Could he be…?"

Suddenly, Oak was serious. Bonnie and Clemont too turned to look at her. "Ten years ago…" the professor said, deep in thought. "Yes, he would have been around six then. It must have been him. What a coincidence!"

"Wow, you know Ash?" Bonnie cried, amazed.

"That sure is a coincidence", Clemont agreed.

Serena felt very conflicted. She was excited to be able to meet her first crush again after all these years, but at the same time she was horrified that it actually was her Ash in the hospital. "I'm not sure I'm glad to hear this", she said slowly. "We only talked a bit back then, but he was really nice. It's pretty awful that it's him who is hurt."

Professor Oak nodded understandingly. "Yes, it seems to always be the best ones who suffer." They all were quiet for a moment, thinking about the cruelness of the world. Then Oak hit his hands together, making everyone jump. "That's enough talking for now, don't you think? It's time for you all to go meet Ash and Pikachu. Remember, if anything comes to mind, you can always talk to me or to professor Sycamore. After this call I shall contact the hospital and give them your names and descriptions."

"Thank you so much", Clemont said, as they were getting up. "We will do our best with them, I promise."

"No, thank you", Oak responded, smiling. "You cannot imagine how relieved I am right now. The situation is so unusual, and as Ash is very dear to me, I stressed a lot about this. But after meeting you three I feel much more hopeful that it's possible to get through this without anyone getting any more hurt."

They were going to respond, but suddenly a massive brown Pokémon appeared on the screen, squishing the professor. "Good luck! Take care!" Oak shouted, and then the screen went dark. The kids were left standing frozen in the sudden stillness.

"All right, Team Pikachu!" hollered Bonnie after a minute of stunned silence. "Let's go help that cute, miserable little Pokémon!"

* * *

It only took a few minutes to walk to the City Hospital. Bonnie, Clemont and Serena found out they got along really well, and they were chatting excitedly all the way to the reception desk of the hospital. Then they got more serious, and after getting directions to Ash's room, they headed for the right floor.

There was an officer sitting outside the door, just as professor Oak had said. She smiled at them approaching, clearly already having been notified about their arrival. After quick introductions she said: "His mother is in there right now. You can go in shortly."

And just then the door opened, and out came a young, nice-looking but red-eyed and clearly exhausted woman. She seemed only mildly surprised to see the three kids standing there. "You must be here for Pikachu. My name is Delia."

The kids introduces themselves again, and greeted Miss Ketchum. "Anything you can do to help… I will be very grateful", she said, smiling tiredly. "You came in a great time – Ash is awake. Just try not to excite him too much."

"We will be careful", Serena promised. She turned to look at her new friends. "Let's do this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! It was quite the long one.
> 
> Next time: Pikachu's & Team Rocket's POV of the incident! Meetings in the hospital!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! It's time for the third chapter. This one has some very unethical usage of Pokémon power, so be careful. Nothing too graphic though, I hope.
> 
> Btw, I love James' Inkay, so I'm sorry that it's the bad one in this story. It's such a cutie pie in the series.
> 
> [Pokédex entry from Malamar's Bulbapedia]

When Pikachu saw Inkay evolve into Malamar, he felt more scared than in a long time.

He had been forced to attack Ash enough times in his lifetime that he knew very well what was coming up. It still didn't prepare him for the bright light and the horrible feeling of losing his sense of self, losing control. He knew the bond between him and Ash had saved them from mind control before, but he wasn't sure what would happen this time. That Malamar looked strong and Pikachu was exhausted before it had even started. It would be a tough battle of wills.

The last thing he did before sinking into oblivion was to jump backwards, away from Ash and his giant, desperate eyes that were staring straight at him.

* * *

_'_ _Malamar, the Overturning Pokémon, and the evolved form of Inkay. Possessing the strongest hypnotic powers of any Pokémon, Malamar can compel others to do anything it wants them to do.'_

Team Rocket were all looking at the Pokédex, grinning wildly. "Now this is what I call good luck", Jessie whooped, having a little dance. "Pikachu is as good as ours!"

"Yeah, will be anyway if we just _killed_ Ash", said Meowth suddenly, staring down to Malamar and the twerps. "But that wasn't our plan, right…?" Jessie and James stopped their partying, turning to frown at the small Pokémon.

"What do you mean?" James said, but leaned over the railing to look at the ground. His smile was wiped away in a second when he realized what was happening. "Oops. Maybe I should have given Malamar just a little bit more precise instructions."

"You think?" Jessie screamed, also staring at the scene down in the ground. "Make him stop! We only needed Pikachu to follow us!"

James was pulling at his hair. "I know! I just – I just wanted to teach the twerp a lesson and pay back all of the times he has wrecked us. I didn't realize…" He watched Pikachu use its thunderbolt on Ash over and over and over again, the kid's screams already quieted down to a whimper. "Malamar! That is quite enough! Come back here and take Pikachu with you!"

To their horror, Malamar's reaction was not what they had expected. The newly evolved Pokémon was delirious with its new power and not finished with its first victims by a long shot. When Pikachu seemed to break through the hypnosis for a moment, it flashed the light again and the attacks continued.

Now Jessie was pulling at her hair too, horrified, and Meowth was shouting profanities at Malamar, at James, at everything. "Malamar, obey!" James tried again, but to no avail. He screwed his eyes shut, hating the fact that yet another of their brilliant plans had been ruined. He took out the right Poké Ball. "Malamar! Return!"

* * *

The first time Pikachu broke through the hypnosis, Ash's face was straight in front of his, panting in pain. Pikachu assumed it hadn't been very long, as Ash smiled widely at Pikachu after noticing he was back to normal. "Pikachu!" he whispered, excited. "Try to use Iron Tail on these ropes, quickly."

"Pikapi", Pikachu whispered back, hesitating. _'That's very dangerous. I could hurt you.'_

"Just be careful. I know you can do it."

Pikachu didn't really have a choice, as leaving Ash in the net would be at least as bad an idea. He prepared the attack, and then slashed one, smooth strike at his best friend. Some of Ash's jacket ripped, but so did the ropes. Unfortunately, the use of a different attack had alerted Malamar and it shouted angrily at Pikachu. Pikachu's gaze locked with Ash's, who was furiously trying to untangle himself from the net. Just before losing himself again Pikachu saw Ash get his knees under him and then leap at the offending Malamar.

* * *

The second time coming back to himself was pretty bad. Pikachu was standing next to Ash lying on his stomach, and just one look at his friend told Pikachu this time it had lasted longer, much longer. Ash was still awake, eyes screwed shut and his hair frizzled, teeth bared. He was trying his hardest to lift up his upper body with his hands, but it seemed like his muscles were as useful as if they were made of jelly.

Pikachu nuzzled closer to his face, and Ash flinched, opening his eyes in alert. Pikachu felt heartbroken, seeing his bright feverish eyes looking at him in fright, even though it wasn't long before Ash noticed Pikachu was all right and managed a relieved smile and a whispered "Pikachu!"

Pikachu heard shouting from the hot air balloon, and for a moment he almost thought he had heard James trying to get Malamar to stop, but as it happened, Malamar had floated again towards Pikachu with its hypnotizing light shining bright. The world sunk away once more.

* * *

The third time, Pikachu woke up very exhausted and very warm. It took him a while to figure out his surroundings, as there was just darkness before him and a steady, quiet hum between his ears. He was lying on his side and as he tried to move, there was something holding him in place.

And all of a sudden it became clear what the hum was. It was Ash, mumbling his name, over and over again. "…Pikachu, it's okay. I'm right here Pikachu. You are fine, everything's fine. Please Pikachu…." He was cradled in his arms, Ash's mouth pressed against the top of his head. Pikachu started to struggle, trying to get away. He was tired to the bone, but it didn't matter, nothing else mattered than the fact Ash was now half dead because of him. He had suspected from the beginning that it would be a bad idea for Ash to travel alone, knowing his history with continuous trouble. Ash didn't care. And here they were.

Pikachu pushed Ash's hand off from around him, and jumped away. He took one look at his best friend and companion, and felt his heart stop. Ash was lying on his side, sickly pale and his face streaked with tears. His hair looked like something had exploded. There was damage to the skin of his hands that Pikachu could only assume was caused by his electricity. The cursed Malamar must have made him use his powers to damage, because normally even a strong Pokémon attack wouldn't cause any serious harm, just pain and discomfort. Of course Pikachu didn't know if maybe the reason was just the unusually extended amount of attacking he had done on Ash.

Ash's eyes were half open, and he was staring confused at the empty space between his hands Pikachu had previously occupied. "Pika…" he started, but had to pause to gasp for breath, "…chu?"

Pikachu was ready to cry, or collapse, but he _had to_ stay strong now. He looked around. The sun had set, and there was not a single soul around. Team Rocket had disappeared too, for some reason. And then Pikachu got an idea that was so simple yet neither of them had realized to do it after Ash was free from the net. Although to be fair, Ash had been in serious pain ever since Malamar's evolution. And Pikachu's time sane had been quite limited, too.

Pikachu ran around Ash's shaking body and pawed at his belt, eventually managing to release all of his Pokémon. Fletchinder, Hawlucha, Goomy and Frogadier came out looking worried. Pikachu realized they must have heard Ash's screaming. Because even though Pikachu was the one who had caused those, he hadn't heard a single cry himself.

Trying to block out these awful thoughts, Pikachu turned to face his friends instead. _'I need your help'_ , he said simply. Everyone nodded, and instantly Fletchinder and Hawlucha were in the air, heading to opposite directions. Frogadier and Goomy stayed with Pikachu, uncertain what to do to help their human partner.

Ash was shaking violently now, crying again. He was mumbling something incoherent, and Pikachu thought he heard his name. _'Go hug him'_ , Frogadier said to Pikachu, lowering himself to lay behind Ash to give him some ounce of comfort and warmth. Pikachu obliged, though reluctantly, since he was afraid he would just cause Ash more pain.

Pikachu inched towards the space between Ash's arms, and gently nudged the upper one to make room for himself. Ash's eyes cracked open and he stared at Pikachu. "Pikachu…?" he wheezed, and that was all the breath he had. He gasped for a moment and continued: "I thought… they took… you away."

_'_ _Pikapi, don't waste your energy'_ , Pikachu pleaded. ' _Please stay still.'_

"I'm so… glad", Ash went on. "So they… just left you?"

Pikachu sighed. Hopeless idiot. _'Yes, they were gone when I came to the last time'_ , he said. _'Now be quiet._ '

Ash had no more energy to speak, and his eyes drifted shut. Instantly Pikachu felt really scared and wished Ash would have kept talking.

Goomy had inched closer to them. _'What happened?'_ it asked, tone careful. _'Will he be okay?'_

_'_ _Team Rocket. It's a long story'_ , Pikachu answered, not wanting to think about the second question. Ash was always okay. He would be okay. He _had to_ be _._ The Pokémon fell into agitated silence around their unconscious trainer, counting seconds waiting for help to arrive. But as the minutes stretched, Pikachu had never felt so useless.

Suddenly a bright light startled the three Pokémon, and they turned to look at a group of approaching lights. Soon there was also the sound of an engine and then the familiar form of Fletchinder appeared from the darkness followed by Officer Jenny on her motorbike and an ambulance. All the Pokémon jumped up, relieved. It was only then that Pikachu remembered again how exhausted he was, and almost collapsed straight back down.

"Oh dear", said the first nurse who saw Ash. "We need a stretcher here, fast!"

Frogadier watched the officer and nurses for a minute before deciding he could trust them. _'I'll go get Hawlucha back'_ , he said, and was then off into the darkness in a flash.

Officer Jenny was connecting dots between Ash's appearance and the Pikachu standing beside him. "Stay away from him, all of you", she commanded. Pikachu wanted to shout back at her, but he had no energy left. He also kind of understood the officer. Fletchinder instead was ruffling its feathers in anger.

_'_ _Stay back'_ , Pikachu said to them. ' _They will take care of him now.'_

_'_ _If they even hint that we did this…'_ Fletchinder growled.

_'_ _Calm down'_ , interrupted Pikachu, scared of this discussion. _'It will clear up soon. Let's just follow whatever they say so we can get moving as fast as we can.'_ Goomy and Fletchinder agreed to this, although Fletchinder still looked pissed.

They had moved Ash into the ambulance and were giving him some first aid when Hawlucha and Frogadier returned. Officer Jenny asked them if they wanted to go back into their Poké Balls, but they all disagreed. Pikachu, Goomy, Hawlucha and Frogadier all got into the ambulance and Fletchinder followed the vehicles from the air. Pikachu got onto the bed with Ash and passed out almost instantly.

* * *

Serena, Clemont and Bonnie stepped quietly into the hospital room.

Ash's bed was slightly elevated and he was smiling at the Pikachu on his lap. Pikachu was babbling to him about something and didn't notice the newcomers straight away. "Hello", said Clemont, startling the Pikachu who turned around quickly to frown at them. Ash lifted his head too, still smiling slightly. "My name is Clemont, this is my sister Bonnie and she is Serena."

Serena felt her heart lurch at seeing how unwell Ash looked. His eyes were bruised, his hair was shorter than she remembered and looked damaged, and there were bandages along his arms and hands. His brows were tight like he was in pain, and even though he was smiling and his eyes were bright, he still looked ready to collapse into a coma. He didn't seem like he recognized Serena, either, which she felt oddly disappointed about.

"Oh yeah", Ash answered, his voice quite small and hoarse. "Mom said you were coming." He turned back to Pikachu, petting his sides. "You will behave, right?" he teased, and Pikachu's reply sounded annoyed.

When the three visitors just stood there, unsure what they should do or say and more than a bit shocked about how Ash looked, the Pikachu's owner huffed a laugh and said: "You can stay here for a while, I'm not going to die right now or anything. My mom probably went down to get coffee anyway."

Pikachu didn't appreciate Ash's words, and watched warily as the visitors took seats around his friend's bed. "Hi there Pikachu", Bonnie chirped, leaning closer to look at the yellow Pokémon. "I heard you have been acting out."

Pikachu turned to look away. "Yeah, I don't really get what's up with him", Ash said, resting his bandaged hand on the Pokémon. "As you can see, I'm completely-" He stopped abruptly, grimacing in pain and pressing a free hand on his chest. Pikachu was on his feet instantly and the others flinched in worry too. It only lasted a second before Ash relaxed again, looking more exhausted than ever. He did have the sense to at least look embarrassed while finishing: "…fine."

Pikachu did not look amused, and Clemont said: "Yeah, we can see that."

"Come on", Ash whined. "I'm already bored of this room. I just want to… to…" His voice wandered off and he got a confused look in his eyes, like he had just forgotten the thing he wanted to say. He stared at Pikachu. "Anyway…"

"I think you should rest now", Serena said gently. "We will keep Pikachu company for a while longer."

"I guess", Ash admitted, looking annoyed for feeling so weak. He looked at Pikachu with a stern expression. "Be nice to them. And listen to what they say." He closed his eyes, sinking into the bed. "They are here for you, after all…"

Silence fell after that and the only sound in the room was the machines' beeps that were connected to Ash. Pikachu was staring at his friend, his expression unreadable. Bonnie asked, quietly: "Can I hug you, Pikachu?" She reached out to gently touch the Pokémon, who said nothing but didn't resist the contact. "Hey, it's okay", she said, wrapping her arms around him. She felt how thin Pikachu felt, how scared he was under the tough shell. "It's okay. Everything's going to be fine."

Clemont looked around the room and nudged Serena. "Hey, look at all these gifts and flowers", he whispered. "They are all from his friends I bet." Serena rose from her chair and went around the room looking at all the wishing well –cards. There were cards from gym leaders, nurses and professors from many different regions and also quite many cards with just first names on them Serena assumed were the closest of Ash's friends.

"So many people", she said in awe. "He must have traveled around _a lot_."

"Professor Oak wasn't kidding when he said Ash makes friends easily", Clemont said smiling. "Even I kind of like him already."

"I know right", mumbled Bonnie by the bed, still hugging Pikachu. "He seems like a person you would never have a dull moment with."

_'_ _You are very correct'_ , said Pikachu, finally retracting from Bonnie and jumping to a space beside Ash's head.

"Look at this", Serena said from the window, holding a card in her hand. It had a glittery 'Get well soon!' –text and a Meowth wearing a pink tutu on the cover. "' _We are sorry for what happened to you._ ' It's signed J&J&M. I guess they mean they are sorry _to hear_ what happened…?"

For some reason, Pikachu was eyeing the card suspiciously. Clemont shrugged. "You could say it like that too, I think. Or maybe they made a mistake."

Serena stared at the disturbing Meowth for a moment longer. "Yeah, I guess", she said eventually. She picked up a neat packet of brown kibble. "Hey, look at this, a bag of Pokémon food! It looks home made."

Pikachu's ears twitched, even though he was trying to act nonchalant. "Who is it from?" asked Bonnie.

"It only says Brock." Serena turned the bag upside down. "Oh, here's the message. _'Don't even try to act like you don't like these._ ' What does that mean?"

Clemont turned to watch Pikachu, who looked annoyed again. "I think he means Pikachu. Brock must be a friend of theirs."

"Come on Pikachu", Bonnie coaxed the very hungry but very stubborn Pokémon. "Shouldn't you at least taste the food? Brock made it all just for you."

Pikachu stared at the bag with a conflicted expression. "You know, Pikachu", Serena said, her tone soft. "I think it will only hurt Ash more if you don't take care of yourself." Pikachu looked at her, startled. "Instead of focusing to just get well himself, he will have to worry about you, too. I don't think you want that."

Pikachu let out a sad sound. He looked at the food, then at Ash. Finally he made a decision. With one jump Pikachu had crossed the bed and was sitting near the edge of it where Serena was standing. He pointed at the bag of food in her hand. _'I guess I could taste few of those.'_

"You want these?" Serena asked, surprised. Pikachu nodded.

All the kids in the room felt like laughing in joy. Small steps. It would take a while, but Pikachu would be all right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like Team Rocket are just a bunch of softhearted babbies under all their evil. I'm sure they wouldn't want to permanently injure Ash, who has helped them so many times before despite his best interests. And anyway, what would they do with their time if Ash wasn't there for them to annoy?
> 
> NEXT CHAPTER: Berry picking! Memory time with Ash and Serena!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Thank you for the kudos!
> 
> Please enjoy this chapter too!

Serena woke up to a knock on her door.

"Miss, there's a call waiting for you downstairs!" someone called through the door. Serena rubbed her eyes, momentarily confused about her surroundings. Then she remembered how the evening before she had rented a room from the Pokémon Center (though Professor Oak had made her promise she would let him pay for it).

Serena sat up, yawning. "I'm coming!" she called back, looking at her clock. It was only 6am. Who would call her this early? Serena put on her slippers and a sweater over her pajamas and followed Nurse Joy downstairs. She accepted the video call and a picture of a woman appeared in front of her on the screen. She instantly recognized the woman from yesterday, Delia, Ash's mother. Serena got worried, wondering if something had happened.

The day before, when Delia had come back into Ash's room and noticed that Pikachu had started eating again, she had called the kids outside and thanked them with tears in her eyes. She had admitted she had been doubtful about them and their ability to help, but would now trust them.

Delia was smiling tiredly. "Hi, Serena", she greeted, but it had no life to it.

"Good morning, Miss Ketchum", Serena said back with a questioning tone. "Is everything all right?"

"Well…" Suddenly Delia looked like she wanted to cry. When she noticed Serena's worried look, she continued quickly. "I mean, nothing has happened to Ash or Pikachu. It's just… I run a restaurant back in Kanto, and there has been some sort of emergency. I'm not sure if I have to… to fly back there today."

She pressed a hand on her face, stressed. Serena felt really bad for her. "Oh no, that is such a bad timing", she exhaled, emotional for Delia. "Do you think you will have to go?"

Delia sighed, getting herself under control again. "I'm not sure. But what I do know is that I'll have to spend the whole day on the phone. Please, if it's not too much trouble, could you come in the hospital right now?"

Serena smiled. "Of course! That's what I'm here for, right? I'll be there in ten minutes."

"Thank you so much", Delia said relieved. "Would you like me to call your friends too?"

"There's no need to wake them up yet", Serena said. "I can call them to come in later."

"All right", said Delia, looking at her watch. "See you soon!"

"See you", Serena answered, and they ended the call.

* * *

Seven minutes later, Serena was at the hospital reception and saw Delia approach her across the room. She waved and met her halfway.

"Thank you for coming so quickly", Delia said. "I think Ash is waking up soon, and I really have to contact the restaurant now."

"Of course", Serena smiled. "Don't worry, I'll be there as long as you and he need me to be."

After thanking Serena again, Delia rushed out to the street, and Serena continued up to Ash's room. She greeted the quite bored looking officer at the door, who let her in. Serena stepped in and noticed straight away that Ash was not yet awake and Pikachu too was dozing on his legs. It was a very cute sight, and Serena stood there for a moment just looking at them. She realized then that she totally had not gotten over her summer camp crush, even though she hadn't thought about Ash in years. But now, seeing him again, she felt very fond of him all over again.

Quietly Serena approached the bed and sat beside it. Pikachu woke up from his light sleep, but didn't glare at her like he had the day before, instead staring at her almost resigned. Serena smiled at him, then rose and went to the window where the still half full Pokémon food bag was standing. She took a handful of food and sat back on her chair.

"You must be hungry", she said to Pikachu, extending her hand with the food on it to the Pokémon. "It's breakfast time."

Pikachu started to nibble the food, but stopped then, looking at Serena. Serena didn't understand what was up, so Pikachu pointed at the food, than at Serena, and mimed eating motions. Serena laughed, delighted. "Are you wondering if I have eaten already?"

Pikachu nodded. Serena laughed again, quite touched. "Thanks Pikachu, but don't worry. I crabbed a few sandwiches with me before I left." To prove this, she took the breakfast breads out of her bag and showed them to Pikachu. Pikachu made an approving sound, and returned to his eating. Serena ate too, and they fell into a comfortable silence.

After a few minutes, the silence was broken by Ash, who first mumbled something and started then fidgeting about. His heart rate rose on the monitor, and Serena put down her sandwich worried. Pikachu was staring at his friend too, concerned. Minute passed, and Ash was panting now, grimacing in pain.

"Ash!" Serena exclaimed, grabbing his hand before thinking about the action twice.

"Pikapi!" cried Pikachu and jumped next to his head, pawing at his cheek.

Serena was starting to seriously wonder about calling for help, when Ash finally relaxed. His heart was still racing, but he was breathing normally and laying still. Serena exchanged a tight look with Pikachu, who had sagged against Ash's pillow, nuzzling his temple.

Serena didn't realize she was still holding Ash's hand, when suddenly Ash mumbled, still half asleep: "Seriously mom, let go of my hand. I'm fine."

Serena let his hand go instantly, blushing furiously. Ash hadn't yet opened his eyes, but lifted his hand to rub at his face tiredly. As the awkward silence stretched, Ash asked: "…Mom?"

Pikachu didn't say anything, so Serena sighed. "Um…"

Ash's eyes opened, and he stared bewildered at Serena. "Oh."

"Yeah", said Serena, blushing again.

"It was you", Ash went on.

"Yeah."

"Holding my hand."

Serena would have hit him if she wasn't uncertain whether he was teasing her deliberately or if he actually just was confused after waking up to a strange face. So she just repeated: "Yeah."

"Okay", said Ash, and closed his eyes again, yawning. Serena stared at him dumbfounded. She turned to look at Pikachu, noticing he almost looked like he was smirking.

"You guys", she sighed.

Ash opened his eyes again, staring puzzled at Serena. "Why did you hold my hand?" he asked, sounding almost nervous in a way.

_Can't he just let it go_ , thought Serena slightly annoyed, but answered Ash anyway. "You were in pain. At least it seemed like it. You were trashing and gasping. I thought it might help."

Ash stared at her for a moment longer. "Thanks", he said eventually. "It did."

Serena was taken aback when she realized Ash was serious and actually meant it. "No problem." She smiled at him, a little embarrassed again. "Are you feeling okay now?"

Ash thought about it for a while. "Yes", he said slowly. "Well, better than yesterday at least. I still feel very heavy though, like every movement takes a lot of extra effort. It's really annoying, because…" he wandered off again, staring in the middle distance.

Serena waited for a moment for him to continue, but asked then: "Because…?"

Ash focused his eyes on her again, furrowing his brow in concentration. "Because… Oh yeah, because you know, I used to train with my Pokémon every day. I would go running with them for miles. Climb trees and all. Now even talking feels like an effort."

"I'm really sorry to hear that", Serena said, meaning it. "You don't have to strain yourself anymore talking to me if you don't want to."

Ash shook his head a little. "No, I didn't mean… I like talking to you. I would like to continue for a while longer." Serena blushed at this too, and instantly felt annoyed at herself. _Get a grip_ , she thought. Ash looked around the room and asked: "Where is my mom, anyway?"

Serena shrugged apologetically. "There was some sort of emergency at her restaurant, so I believe she will be busy on the phone for the whole day."

"Oh, okay", Ash said, and looked a little sad. Then he flashed a smile at Serena. "Well, at least you are here."

_How does he keep doing that?_ Serena thought flustered, fighting down another blush. "Yeah, I guess", she said, trying to seem nonchalant.

Ash was frowning at nothing again, and Serena wondered if he was in pain. Pikachu, who had stayed very silent until now, perked up too as if he sensed something. "Pikapi", he said to Ash, sternly.

"Its fine", Ash said, but he didn't look fine. He pressed a hand against his chest, taking deep but rattling breaths. Serena stared at the monitor in horror, where his heart line was starting to get wonky. She reached for the help button, but the radical change in pulse must have alerted the staff already, because suddenly a nurse and a doctor burst through the door, taking control of the situation.

Before Serena had time to fully understand what was happening, she found herself outside of the door that slammed shut in front of her face. She was left there, staring at nothing.

"It might take a while", the officer said, and Serena jumped, turning to look at her. "You might want to go get a drink or something."

"I…" Serena started, but sighed then. She felt really concerned for Ash and also a little annoyed that their conversation got interrupted before it had even started. Then she felt bad thinking like that. It wasn't Ash's fault for being injured. "Yeah", she admitted. "I guess there is nothing I can do right now."

She took a step back and almost tripped over something. She looked down and got startled by the Pikachu at her legs. He was looking seriously mad, staring daggers at the door.

"They threw you out, too?" Serena gasped.

Pikachu nodded, furious _. 'They went too far',_ he growled. Then suddenly he sat back, looking defeated. _'No… I know they are doing what is best for him.'_

Serena felt sad, looking at Pikachu. He must be terrified. She crouched in front of him. "I know it feels awful when you can't do anything in situations like this. But the most important thing for Ash is that you are there for him when he wakes up again."

Pikachu nodded, but still looked sad. Another nurse rushed past them and went into the room. Serena furrowed her brow. "Looks like it's not going to be over anytime soon." She gently petted Pikachu's neck. "Should we go make a call to Clemont and Bonnie, what do you think, Pikachu?

Pikachu looked unsure for a moment, still staring at the door like he could somehow see through it to Ash, but nodded eventually. Abruptly he stood up and leaped on Serena's shoulder. Serena stumbled back a few steps, surprised by it. She was also quite shocked how heavy Pikachu felt, pressing down one of her shoulders. She thought about Ash, who did this every day. Well, used to do.

"All right", she said, trying to appear enthusiastic. But to be honest, she did feel quite touched about Pikachu's trust. "Let's go wake up those blond siblings."

* * *

Clemont dragged himself to the beeping monitor. He had been woken up by it, and was not happy about it. He accepted the call. "What is it? It's not even seven in the morning."

"Hi, Clemont", said Serena's voice. He rubbed his eyes and placed his glasses on his nose. He was surprised to see Serena looking like she had been up for a long time, and even more surprised about the Pikachu on her shoulder.

"What's up?" he asked, suddenly much more awake. "Everything all right?"

"Well, not exactly", she answered, tone serious, exchanging an unreadable look with Pikachu. "We are at the hospital, as you can probably tell. Ash just had some sort of heart attack."

"What!" Clemont leaned closer to the monitor. "Is he okay? And why are you there so early, anyway?"

"We don't know yet, Clemont, it only just happened." He could see Serena get a bit tearful. But soon the girl toughened back up, and continued: "I'm here because Ash's mother had something urgent to take care of. And now I'm calling you with Pikachu because we just got thrown out of his room."

"That's awful." He heard footsteps behind him, and Bonnie appeared by his shoulder. She looked at the monitor too, noticing who the call was from. "Oh, hi Serena! And hi Pikachu! Wow, why are you on Serena's shoulder?"

Serena repeated the situation briefly, and Bonnie got serious. "Oh no, poor Ash, poor Pikachu. I wish I was there to hug you."

Pikachu looked like he kind of wished that too. Then a nurse appeared behind him and Serena. He said something, and Serena looked relieved. Pikachu too, and after a short conversation the nurse left and the two turned back to the siblings.

"What did he say?" Bonnie asked excited. "Something good I hope."

"Well, as good as we could have hoped for", Serena said, but couldn't help the smile spreading on her face. "They got Ash stabilized – he will be okay." Bonnie and Clemont exhaled a breath they hadn't known they had been holding. Serena continued: "They also finally figured out what is wrong with him, so now they can start to treat it. They will monitor him for the next hour or so though, so now we just have to wait."

"What a relief", said Clemont. He looked at Serena. "Should we come in there too?"

"I don't think it's necessary", Serena said, looking around the busy hospital lobby. "It will be at least an hour before anyone can see him, and I don't think he will even be awake by then."

"Hey, it's a beautiful weather", Bonnie said suddenly. "How about some quality time out in the sun? I don't think Pikachu has left the hospital in days."

Pikachu didn't look too excited, but Serena agreed with Bonnie. "That's a great idea", she said. "It would clear up everyone's head, to be honest."

Clemont looked like he just got an excellent idea. "It's a great berry picking season", he said enthusiastically. "And I have the perfect invention for it! I call it The-Be-"

"Don't even say it." Bonnie was scowling at her brother, exasperated. "It's The-Berry-Picking-Machine-One-Hundred."

"No", Clemont answered, like she was stupid. "The-Berry-Picking-Machine-Mark-One."

Bonnie sighed. "Oh yeah. How could I have _ever_ guessed that one."

Serena watched the siblings amused. She liked them a lot, they had the ability to take her mind off of the bad things even if just for a short moment. She turned to Pikachu. "What do you say? Think we should go pick up some berries? Hey, does Ash like berries?"

Pikachu had to agree to the last one. He was starting to get excited against his will, thinking about surprising Ash with a basket of berries. He had to admit fresh air sounded good, too. He wasn't used to being cooped up this long inside, or without any exercise. Life with Ash was about constant excitement and never getting stuck in one place for too long. These last couple of days had been quite hard on him, for multiple reasons.

Finally he nodded, pointing at the window where the sun was shining _. 'Let's go then'_ , he said and his new friends exclaimed in joy.

* * *

Pikachu went wild in the forest.

He was jumping from tree to tree, throwing berries down to the large basket Clemont and Bonnie had brought with an admirable accuracy. Even the machine built for berry picking couldn't compete with Pikachu's speed, and when Clemont tried to increase the power, smoke started to come out and finally the machine exploded.

Serena was horrified. "Clemont! Are you all right?" She shouted, trying to find her friend amongst all the smoke and dirt.

"He is fine", said the not-at-all-surprised looking Bonnie next to her.

When the smoke cleared, Clemont was sitting on the forest floor, covered in dirt and leaves and coughing. "Yes, I'm fine…" He got up and tried to dust of worst of the dirt. "How did this happen again?"

"Maybe the mark one hundred would have actually worked", mumbled Bonnie.

Serena laughed awkwardly. "Well… Let's just pick the rest of the berries the normal way." She looked up in the tree where Pikachu was watching them amused. "Pikachu has almost filled up the basket anyway. You are very effective!"

Pikachu made a proud noise, and resumed his acrobatic work. Serena turned to the siblings. "We talked a bit with Ash this morning, and he said he used to train every day with his Pokémon. I bet Pikachu has been feeling really uncomfortable staying inside all the time."

"Yeah", agreed Clemont. "And Ash too. I hope he will get out of the bed soon."

"Hey Serena?" said Bonnie suddenly, sounding excited. "Did you tell Ash already that you know each other from when you were kids?"

Serena felt a bit flustered. "No… Well, I wanted to do it today, but I didn't have time to, before he…" She didn't want to think about the blood-freezing moment when Ash had started to crash on her. "Anyway, it will have to wait a bit longer."

"Aw", said Bonnie sounding disappointed. "I really want to hear what he remembers about you!"

_Maybe he doesn't remember anything_ , Serena thought glumly. She still smiled at Bonnie: "Yeah, me too."

* * *

On their way back to the hospital, Clemont suddenly stopped and stared at his reflection on a shop window.

"Uh…" he said. "I can't go into the hospital like this!" He motioned at his dirty clothes and hair. "I'm sorry, but I have to go by my house first and change clothes."

Bonnie stopped too, holding her stomach embarrassed. "To be honest, I need some food too." She looked at Serena. "We will come soon after you, if it's okay?

"Of course", Serena answered. "Anyway, if he's sleeping, we won't all need to sit in the room, right? It's enough if one of us is there, and others can hang out with Pikachu in the yard or something."

_'_ _I want to be the one to sit with Ash'_ , said Pikachu sounding annoyed. He was on the lead of their group, agitated to get back to Ash.

Serena thought she understood Pikachu's tone and gesturing. "I know you don't want to leave him alone", she said emphatically. "But you have to understand that he won't get to play with you in a long time still. You must have a lot of energy to spend, I saw how you were in the forest. It's better if you get some exercise while he sleeps, and then you will manage it better to sit with him when his awake."

"That's right", Clemont agreed. "Hey I know! I will take some my Pokémon with me when we come back, and you can make some new friends! They are all electric types too, except my newest one, Bunnelby."

Pikachu thought about this, and made then a 'maybe'-sound.

"Yay!" exclaimed Bonnie, and crouched to hug Pikachu briefly. "You will love all of his Pokémon! Now, let's get going!"

* * *

Later that day, Serena was on Ash-watch duty. Pikachu had been the first one, being the stubborn Pokémon he was. But as Ash had shown no signs of waking up after many hours, he had eventually agreed to go outside to play with Bonnie, Clemont and Clemont's Bunnelby, Heliolisk and Magnemite. Serena was reading a cookbook by Ash's bedside, wondering if she could make something yummy out of all the berries they had picked.

Suddenly she got startled by a faint cough and turned to look at Ash, who was blinking his eyes. "Oh, hi Serena", he said, sounding quite groggy. He looked around confused. "Hey, where's Pikachu?"

"Hi Ash", said Serena, thinking it was cute how Pikachu was the first thing on his mind. "Pikachu is outside, playing with Clemont's Pokémon. I'll go fetch him now." She started to get up, but Ash grabbed her wrist, freezing her on the spot.

"No, let's let him play a bit longer. I know how he hates to sit inside. He will have plenty of time to do that later." Ash let go of her, and fidgeted for a while, trying to find a comfortable position.

"If you think so", Serena said uncertainly. She watched Ash twitch around, concerned. "Hey, do you need help?"

"No, I'm fine", answered Ash instantly, like on record. He tried to sit up, but couldn't do it. He grimaced, looking annoyed. "Well, maybe."

Serena found the remote for the bed on the bedside table and handed it to Ash. "You can use this to elevate the upper part of your bed."

"Oh right, thanks Serena", Ash said, smiling at her. Serena felt the blush coming, but kept it under control. Well, at least for a second before realizing she was actually finally alone with Ash, without even Pikachu being there. She turned around and hid her reddening face for a moment to put the cookbook back in her bag. "So", continued Ash after elevating his bed a bit. "Clemont has Pokémon, huh? What kind?"

"What I saw were a Bunnelby, Magnemite and a Heliolisk", Serena told him. "But I think he has at least a Magneton, too."

"Wow, that many?" Ash got a dreamy look in his eyes. "I want to meet them!"

Serena remembered what Ash's mom had told them the first time they met. "Take it easy", she said, seeing how Ash was starting to get excited. She decided telling him that Clemont was a gym leader had to wait for now. "I'm sure you will meet them soon."

"Awesome", said Ash, letting out a breath and trying to relax. Serena watched him for a while, weighing her options. She would have to ask him sooner or later, so why not now, when they were alone?

She took a deep breath. "Ash…" she started, and Ash moved to look at her, his gaze quite intense. "Do you remember Professor Oak's summer camp? Ten years ago?" Ash just stared at her, so Serena kept on going. "Do you remember me?"

She stared at Ash nervously, who stared back, now frowning. Serena thought he looked almost irritated. She felt a bit hurt. "What, what is it?"

Ash was silent for a moment longer, finally admitting with tight voice: "It just… hurts… so much…"

Serena jumped in alarm. "What? Ash! What does?"

Ash's whole body constricted, his arms flying to hold his middle. He was grimacing in pain now. "Well, everything", he answered between his teeth.

"Ash! You should have told me you were in pain!" Serena shouted at him, quickly pressing the help button.

This gave Ash a pause, and he stopped his twitching to look at her in confusion. "…I should have?"

"Of course!" Serena looked at him with both worry and frustration. "They can give you meds for that, you know?"

"I know that", he said tightly, looking down. "I just hate how the strong drugs make me feel. They make me so tired."

"Ash…" Serena felt sad all of a sudden. "You know you need the rest. You will only extend your time here if you stress out your body."

Ash didn't answer, and then the door opened and a nurse hurried in, asking what was wrong. Serena explained the situation with a heavy heart, while Ash continued to stare at nothing, face tense. The nurse nodded and went on to add something to Ash's IV drip. It wasn't long before Ash relaxed completely, and his eyes drifted shut. For some reason Serena felt like she had betrayed him, even though she knew it had been for the best.

She sighed heavily, sinking deep into her chair. Another ruined conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ash is not yet all that well, I'm afraid. But remember, it's only the fourth day after his incident! There is still a long way to go. (Not saying I will write about every one of the days this much, haha.)
> 
> I know I kind of lied last time saying it would be memory time with Ash and Serena in this chapter, but it wasn't on purpose. I just didn't manage to get it to happen here. We still got some Ash&Serena time, so I hope it's fine. The Conversation will happen later though, so no worries!
> 
> NEXT TIME: Surprises! Getting to know each other!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!  
> I don't really know how I feel about this chapter. More thoughts in the end notes.  
> I hope you enjoy! I will try to increase the pace of the story by the next chapter.

Serena, Clemont and Bonnie were at professor Sycamore's lab, waiting for their call to connect to professor Oak.

It was the seventh day after Ash's incident, and the kids were asked to update Oak on the situation. They weren't too excited about it, since the progress they had made hadn't been as much as they had predicted. After Ash's doctor had figured out his patient's plan of enduring most of the pain for the sake of staying more alert, Ash had been put on stronger painkillers along with his other medication and his time awake had reduced dramatically. And during those times, he was sleepy and unfocused, not making conversation but mostly just listening with a distracted expression.

Delia wasn't happy either, first hearing about his heart condition acting out and soon after the secret Ash had been hiding. She refused to leave the city after that, even though it would strain her a lot to handle her restaurant from far away. She didn't care either way – her discomfort was nothing in contrast to Ash's.

Serena blamed herself for not noticing earlier how much worse Ash had been than he had let out. Even though Serena could understand Ash's reasons well, she couldn't help feeling angry at him for being so reckless about his own health. Her guilt was nothing compared to Pikachu's though; the yellow Pokémon had returned into his shell and wouldn't budge from Ash's room any longer, getting aggressive towards everyone who even suggested him taking a break..

Serena rubbed her eyes, feeling exhausted even after a good night's sleep. She was sitting between the blonde siblings in the small call room when the call finally connected, professor Oak's face appearing in front of them. "Good day!" he greeted them with a bright smile.

The kids forced smiles as well, even though they had been feeling quite down the last couple of days. They greeted Oak back but it sounded feeble.

"So, what's up?" asked the professor, getting more serious after seeing their tense postures. "I have been waiting a call from Delia at least, but she has fallen completely off the radar. You don't look too good either. Is something going on there?"

"I'm afraid there was a setback in Ash's recovery", said Clemont eventually, when the girls stayed silent. Oak looked at him with both surprise and worry, urging him to continue. Clemont did. "He hid the fact he was in pain, and caused unnecessary stress to his body. Maybe because of that, he had something similar to a heart attack a few days ago. He's on a lot of medication now and pretty out of it all the time."

Oak looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'm not happy to hear that, but I'm not too surprised either", the professor said evenly, catching the kids off guard. "Ash is known to be difficult like that, it's not easy to keep him under any kind of control. You must be aware none of this is your fault." Oak made sure to he had all of their attention. "It's all on him. All of it."

Serena crumbled then, pressing her hands on her face. "I was with him every time he was awake that day", she mumbled through her fingers, devastated. "I had no idea. I only realized he was hurting when he said so himself." Bonnie hugged her, and she hugged back, hiding her face from the professor.

"He's a tough kid", said Oak with a stern expression. "Don't let his innocent smile fool you. I'm quite mad at him right now, for doing that to you."

"Don't mind us", Bonnie said over Serena's shoulder. "Pikachu is the one who is hurt now. We already had him going outside with us, but now he is back in the room and won't move."

Professor Oak nodded. "I wouldn't expect anything else. He has known Ash for years, he must feel like he should have seen through the act." He sighed, deep in thought for a moment. "I'm very impressed you got Pikachu out of the hospital that soon though. Believe me, you are doing just fine, even if it seems difficult to stay positive right now."

"It sure does", agreed Clemont, eyes casted downwards. "We have no idea what to do with Pikachu anymore. He has closed himself off completely."

_Don't give up until it's over_ , repeated Serena in her head. She had promised her mom and herself she wouldn't let any setbacks stop her, but she was starting to find out how difficult it really was. She wondered how far Ash was willing to go before accepting something was over. _To the world's end and back, probably._

"How long do you think they will keep him on the strong drugs, professor Oak?" she asked, trying to pull herself together. "I think at this point it's only Ash who can help Pikachu."

"Well", pondered Oak. "It has been a few days already, you said? Even that is quite long a time for a kid to be heavily medicated, so I bet his internal injuries were worse than they originally realized. I would assume he is healing well though, if he is the Ash I know." He chuckled briefly to himself. "They have probably already started to ease him off of the meds, lowering the doses bit by bit. I wouldn't be surprised if either tomorrow or the day after he starts to seem a lot more like himself again."

The kids shared relieved smiles. "I hope you are right, professor", Clemont said. "We are feeling very useless at the moment. There are some Ash's other friends visiting him right now. What were their names?"

"May and Max", said Serena instantly. She had felt oddly mad about seeing May, the young pretty girl Ash had traveled with for a long time, sitting there at Ash's bedside, him smiling up at her and her telling him all about her past years as a Pokémon Coordinator. Serena had noted many names belonging to girls on Ash's wishing well –cards, but seeing one of them in person… It felt weird to admit, even to herself, but she was jealous.

"Oh, those two!" Oak said happily. "They are great. I'm glad he is finally having friends over to visit. Have you gotten to know them at all?"

"Only a bit", said Clemont. "They arrived unannounced yesterday morning, so when we went to visit Ash, they were already there. We talked for a short while, but because they can only stay until today's evening, they want to spend as much time with him as possible."

"Of course, well, maybe some other time then", the professor said nodding. Bonnie agreed enthusiastically, and Serena faked a smile too.

"Back to business" Oak continued, clapping his hands. "When you go see him tomorrow… First of all, make sure he knows I am Very Disappointed in him. Second of all-" Suddenly a large red bird flew on his head, croaking an edgy 'Fletchinder'. Serena jumped in excitement, knowing it was the evolved form of the Fletchling her mom had at home. Professor Oak seemed only mildly surprised by the interruption. "Well hello there, Fletchinder", he said to the bird. "What's going on? Are you anxious about Ash, too?" The bird Pokémon screeched again, nodding.

"Such a pretty Pokémon!" exclaimed Bonnie with starry eyes. "Maybe it wants to see Ash?"

The majestic Pokémon nodded at her, pleased. "Oh, you do?" Oak said, amused. "That won't be a problem."

He turned back to the kids. "This is one of Ash's Pokémon from Kalos. We transferred his Pokémon back and forth with Delia the first couple of days, but now that she has apparently been busy and hasn't been in contact for days, they have been getting quite agitated here on my farm. If you don't mind looking after Fletchinder, I can transfer it there in no time. I bet his other Pokémon would be interested to come there too."

"Yay!" Bonnie said excitedly. "We would love to meet Ash's Pokémon! Right, big brother?"

"Yes, it would be very fun", agreed Clemont, and Serena nodded along, smiling. "We have the whole day to spend today, so you might as well send them right now, and we can start getting to know each other."

"It's a deal", said professor Oak, and Fletchinder chirped happily.

* * *

They spent the day much like they had spent their previous one: hanging out in professor Sycamore's garden, playing with the Pokémon there and trying not to feel like they had already failed at their job. Serena had baked macarons the evening before and was now brushing a Chespin, who was happily eating the colorful treats and enjoying the attention. Ash's Kalos Pokémon were there too, and Clemont was very impressed with the wide arrangement of different types of Pokémon he had. Bonnie was exceptionally fond of Goomy, and they were sitting by the small pond (in Goomy's case, _in_ the pond), splashing water at each other and giggling.

Clemont was sparring his Bunnelby against Ash's Frogadier, and quickly noticed how strong it was, even without its trainer there to guide it. He only knew a bit about Ash's past as a trainer, but seeing how well trained even one of his newest Pokémon was, he did come to some conclusions. He could hardly wait for the day he would finally meet Ash in a gym battle as the gym leader of Lumiose City.

Looking at all the happy Pokémon, Serena suddenly thought again about having some of her own. She could get her starter anytime she wanted to, so why not now?

"I'll go see professor Sycamore", Serena said to no one in particular, standing up and brushing the grass off her legs. She walked inside, her friends watching after her in confusion.

It didn't take long to find the professor. Serena walked up to him, excitement starting to bubble inside her. "Professor, may I choose my first Pokémon?"

* * *

"Tada!"

Clemont and Bonnie turned around surprised, looking for the source of Serena's voice. She was standing at the doorway to the garden, holding a Fennekin in her arms, looking happy beyond words. "I just got a Fennekin from professor Sycamore!" she cried, and the little Pokémon made happy sounds along with her.

"Wow!" Bonnie was on her feet instantly, running towards them. "So cute! It's a fire type, right?"

"Oh, a Fennekin", smiled Clemont, walking up to them too. "That's awesome. I'm really happy for you."

Bunnelby and Ash's Pokémon were starting to gather around them too, greeting the newest member of their group. Fennekin got a bit nervous, but with Serena being there for it constantly, it soon started to relax and the rest of the day was spent happily playing together, forming new, lifelong bonds.

* * *

Serena spent the night at Bonnie and Clemont's house.

Breakfast time was a big party, all of Ash's Pokémon being out of their Balls and roaming around the house, nervously waiting to see Ash again. Goomy was jumping up and down on Bonnies lap, munching messily on some leaves from the garden. Fletchinder was flying around, occasionally screeching and probably trying to get them to hurry up, while Hawlucha was doing pushups on the floor, which Serena found quite amusing. Frogadier was sitting at the table with the rest of them, but hadn't touched its food.

Precisely when the clock hit eight in the morning and the hospital started accepting visitors beyond family members or assigned caretakers, the large group was at Ash's door. The already familiar officer looked at them amused, but let everyone in without any questions.

It was surprising how quiet they all managed to stay, gathering around the room to wait their trainer to wake up. Pikachu looked really happy to see them all, even Serena, Bonnie and Clemont too. It had been two days since they last saw Pikachu and Ash, and a lot had changed.

While Ash looked noticeably better with a less bruised face and fewer bandages around his arms, Pikachu's normally so vibrant fur had taken almost a gray tint, the Pokémon appearing much less energetic than before. Bonnie got a bit teary-eyed seeing him, and instantly went to hug him. "I missed you Pikachu", she whispered, and Pikachu hugged her back tighter.

Serena claimed her usual chair for herself, and began her Ash-watching. Sitting by the window, Clemont took out his notebook and started brainstorming for a new invention. Bonnie doodled. The Pokémon were sitting around, occasionally changing position and sighing.

Hours passed. They went for a lunch in two groups, while Ash stayed asleep. After an afternoon snack the Pokémon started to get restless, fidgeting about more than before. Hawlucha was showing the giggling Fennekin his fighting poses, and soon noticed a pot of flowers on a shelf with all the other gifts and cards Ash had received. He noticed how Fennekin too was looking at the flowers with a dreamy smile. Picking one of those flowers for her would be no challenge for the great Hawlucha. He looked at Fennekin proudly, proceeding then to jump on the shelf but misjudging the amount of clutter on it, almost tripping over a Pikachu-plushie, narrowly sidestepping it and knocking down some cards, trashing around, and finally slipping on one of them.

By this point the whole room had fell into total silence, everyone staring horrified at the usually so graceful bird-like Pokémon stumble around. Hawlucha was reaching for the wall for support but fell short, crashing straight into the flower pot and falling after it onto the floor.

* * *

A loud crash woke him from his dream, and Ash shot up on his bed in alarm. "Wha-?"

He froze, both from the pain the movement had caused and the massive confusion he felt looking around his hospital room. The room was full of life, from a Fennekin running to the groaning, embarrassed Hawlucha, Clemont standing up and dropping his notebook and Serena gasping in alert, to a Frogadier looming over him by the end of the bed. "What's going on?" he tried again, when everyone just stared at either him or Hawlucha.

"Ash, relax!" said Serena then, reaching out to push him back down. He refused to budge, though. Serena seemed surprised by that, and quickly stopped trying. "We… um…"

"We were waiting for you to wake up", mumbled Bonnie, hiding behind a nervous-looking Pikachu. Hawlucha had not gotten up from the floor, looking like he rather wanted go through it and disappear.

Ash stared around the room, trying to piece together what he was feeling. The throbbing pain all over his body was the easiest to recognize, and he was almost glad about it. The last few days, he wasn't even sure how many had gone past, were a big haze of disconnected memories. He only remembered bits and pieces, like his mother shouting at him with tears streaming down her face, Serena, Bonnie and Clemont quietly talking to him about something, May and Max visiting him and telling him stories. He remembered Pikachu by his side, always Pikachu.

He still felt groggy and uncomfortable, but also more alert than before, even though the stabbing pain in his abdomen that previously kept him sharp had subsided significantly. Sitting up without support made his head throb though, so he regretted that move just a bit. Even if it did feel great, too.

Well, back to the situation at hand. Ash blinked, and realized he must have zoned out again as everyone was staring at him with worry. He was pretty sure someone had asked him something and they were now waiting for an answer, so he opted for the safe one: "I'm fine."

It had clearly been the wrong thing to say, as it only earned him more concerned looks. He gave up. "What did you ask?"

"Ash", said Clemont slowly, approaching the bed carefully through the crowded room. "We didn't say anything."

Ash felt like a fool, and also a bit like a mental patient. "Oh. I just assumed…"

"How are you feeling, Ash?" asked Serena, looking at him with intense eyes. "Actually, really feeling."

"Um…" Ash felt suddenly very nervous about the almost dozen pairs of eyes staring at him from every direction. "Great. I mean… Awake. Not hurting very much." Ash thought Serena looked a bit disbelieving still, so he added for realism's sake: "Just a bit dizzy."

Serena seemed to accept this. "Do you want to lay back down?" she asked. Ash wanted to protest that he could do it by himself, but even thinking about the movement made his muscles scream in pain.

"Yes", he said instead, throwing the remains of his pride out of the window, admitting: "I will need help, though." He guessed pride didn't even matter in situations like this. He was a hospital patient and he was among his friends. Clemont came to help Serena, and together they eased him back down. "Thanks", he said quietly, and they smiled warmly at him.

Pikachu jumped next to his head and nuzzled him with a pleased sound. He petted the Pokémon, taking notice how his fur seemed rougher than usual, with less shine and volume. Feeling guilty, he knew he had caused a lot of worry for his best friend. He looked around the room again, smiling at his dearest Kalos friends. "I'm so glad to see you all", he said to his Pokémon, who all chirped back at him happily. "Goomy, Frogadier, Fletchinder. Even you, Hawlucha", he added to the masked Pokémon glooming behind the shelf. Ash gave a short laugh. "Come on, don't be like that. It was time for me to wake up, anyway."

"I'm not so sure, Ash", Serena said with a serious voice. "You still seemed a bit out of it just a moment ago."

Ash didn't accept that. "Hey, that wasn't the most gentle wake-up call I have ever experienced. Don't deny, you would have been flustered too." He yawned, suddenly starting to get groggy again. The shock of waking up like that had really taken a toll on him. He didn't want to seem like he was repeating the lying routine, so he continued: "Anyway, I guess I can still feel the drugs affecting me, just not as much. Even though I'm still exhausted and sore, I really feel a lot better than before."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that", Serena said. "Just… don't do that. Don't hide things from us and especially from your doctor."

"Yeah, professor Oak had one or two things to say about that, too", Bonnie piped in. Ash thought about that nervously for a moment, before lowering his gaze.

"I know, I just…" He looked up at his newest friends, who had sat there day after day waiting for him to get better. Ash knew he had nothing to defend himself with. "I'm sorry. Really."

Serena seemed to melt a little. "I'm just happy it's past us now. From here on out, _tell us_ if something is wrong", Serena said and Ash agreed solemnly, being glad that Serena's voice had finally gotten back its gentle sound. Ash really liked her voice. He closed his eyes. She was saying something else, and Ash smiled, listening to the soft tunes. She had a really, really nice voice.

* * *

"Ash?" Serena repeated. She had been telling him about her new Fennekin, but realized soon the boy had fallen motionless, lips slightly parted and breathing even.

Bonnie tried to muffle her giggles. "He just fell asleep on you."

Clemont couldn't help his amused grin, and buried his head behind his notebook, trying to appear like he was distracted.

Serena mumbled: "Time for him to wake up, yeah right. More like time for him to sleep _again_." She was still too glad to be frustrated though, and watched fondly as Pikachu settled against Ash's pillow, assuming a similar sleeping position. The Pokémon around the room were sighing resigned, feeling a bit disappointed that that had been all they got of Ash after a full day of waiting around.

But Serena felt more positive than in days. Ash really did seem better, if just a bit drugged-up still. Tomorrow would be a new day, and would hopefully bring with it an even more awake and intense Ash. She smiled at the thought. She could hardly wait.

* * *

Inside their hill-side cave near Lumiose City, Team Rocket was fleshing out their newest plan to catch Pikachu. This time it would involve a lot more grabbing and a lot less shocking and anguish.

True, that had been the idea last time, too. But this time it would _actually_ work.

Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter wasn't too boring. Some parts seemed to go on forever, and I had no way of stopping them. (What? What do you mean I wrote them?) Anyway, Ash's team is back, and he is really starting to get better himself too. It won't be long now before he is back to jumping off of ledges, choking on food and whatever other activities he enjoys doing on his spare time.
> 
> NEXT TIME: Facing some truths! Trouble in the distance!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!   
> As said before, I'm cross posting on fanfiction.net. Pokemon XY clearly isn't as popular here in AO3, so I'm thinking I'll just upload the rest of this story here when it's all done. So if there is someone out there following this story, go to FF, haha. I just want to have this story here for the chance I continue writing fics, so my previous works will be on both sites.
> 
> So, this will be the last chapter for a while, until I'm finished with the fic!

6.

"I just cannot believe it!"

Ash looked so shocked that Serena had to fight to hold her laughter. She smiled: "It is true."

"I know, he tried to assure me too, but… It's just too much." Ash looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I _do_ have a habit of running into gym leaders before the actual battles. But Clemont being one… That is so weird. Why would a gym leader spend so much of his time with a trainer he doesn't even know?"

"Why didn't you ask him that?" Serena asked back. She had been on the yard playing with their Pokémon when Clemont and Bonnie came down from Ash's room, still laughing about Ash's face when they told him Clemont's gym leader status. After that it was Serena's turn to go up to his room, million things on her mind she wanted to talk to him about, but Ash was not over the revelation yet. She sighed. "Anyway, he knows you now. Ash, in the beginning this might have just been a job to us, but not anymore. You and Pikachu are our friends." Serena felt a bit embarrassed after saying all that, but refused to look away from him.

Pikachu made a happy sound on his lap, but Ash went quiet for a moment. "Yeah…" he said then. "And you are my friends too. I just feel like if I was a gym leader, I wouldn't want to miss so many battles."

_You are more important than a few missed Pokémon battles_ , Serena thought frustrated, but couldn't find the courage to say it aloud. Instead she said: "Clemont told me you are aiming for the Kalos league? How many badges do you have so far?"

"Yes I am. I already got four badges", Ash answered instantly. He looked like he was starting to get excited about this topic, which Serena found both quite cute but also a bit weird. She wondered if it was because she hadn't yet found her own passion. She blinked, trying to not get distracted. "The Lumiose City gym would have been my fifth", Ash was saying. "I was pretty quick at the start, so the delay caused by this", he made vague gestures towards himself and the hospital room, "shouldn't be any trouble. I can still get the rest of the badges in no hurry."

"Okay, that's good I guess…" Serena wanted to change the subject already, getting a bit disturbed by the fact Ash seemed to regard his condition only as an inconvenience between other, apparently more important things like gym battles.

Ash wasn't really listening to her though. "You know, I really feel like I can win the league this time. My Kalos team is already very good, and we still have a lot more training ahead of us. And of course Pikachu is always with me." He turned a big smile at Pikachu, who made a similar face. "You never let me down, buddy", Ash continued, grabbing the Pokémon gently. Suddenly he went from excited to annoyed, pressing a hand on his face and groaning: "I'm so bored! I want to train already. Wait, no, I want to have my next gym battle!"

The more Ash hyped himself up, the more worried Serena grew. It had, after all, only been one day from the time Ash had woken up shocked, stared intensely at nothing for a while and then thought someone else had asked something. Even though his concentration and energy levels had risen significantly after one more day of rest, she felt like he shouldn't be exerting himself like that so soon.

Serena reached over and picked Pikachu up and away from his waving hands, stopping Ash's ranting instantly. Pikachu looked surprised, but also a little bit relieved. "Ash, take it easy", Serena said aiming for a gentle voice. "You will get your gym battles and training and all of that soon enough. But first you just have to concentrate on getting well. It's the most important thing right now."

Ash looked glum for a while longer but sighed then, relaxing against the raised-up bed. "Yeah, I guess so", he said. After a moment of tense silence, Ash frowned and looked at Serena curiously. "Hey, Serena", he started, and Serena almost blushed by the sudden intensity.

"Yeah?" she asked, trying to hide her flusters.

"The second day we met, um, you were saying something important but I was kind of distracted then", Ash went on. Serena realized what was coming and this time couldn't stop her blush. Ash didn't seem to notice though, continuing: "You know… you said something about professor Oak, and summer, I think?"

"Oh", said Serena, her face burning. "About that… yeah." She had wanted to talk about it from the day they met, but now that it was actually happening, she got almost unsure. What if Ash didn't remember, or worse, thought she was a creep? But as it was, it was already too late to back out. "Yeah. I think we were on the same summer camp ten years ago, in Pallet town." She left it at that, wanting to see if there was any recognition from Ash.

"Really?" Ash exclaimed, starting to get excited again. "Hey, I remember that camp! And you…" he tapered off, looking thoughtful. Serena held her breath. "It was such a long time ago", he finally said, embarrassed. "Give me a hint?"

Serena felt a bit disappointed, but didn't let it show. "The first time we talked was in the forest."

"Um…" Ash looked so concentrated Serena felt like giggling just looking at his face. "Hey, did you have a straw hat?" he suddenly cried, staring at Serena expectantly. "And… and a hurt knee?"

"Yes!" agreed Serena happily. "You remember! I never forgot what you did for me, you know. I was so scared before you appeared." Pikachu got up like he wanted to leave, but had nowhere to go. He jumped on the window sill and looked outside, giving them some privacy.

"Sure." Ash looked surprised, like he thought he had done nothing special that day. "Oh, after that we went to the beach with the group, do you remember? It was an awesome sunset!"

"Of course I remember", Serena smiled. "That was the first night on the camp I didn't feel homesick going to sleep."

"That's great!" Ash looked really happy, too. Serena really wished she had the cloth he gave her with her, but it had been left back at her home. "Hey-"

There was a sharp knock on the door, and they fell silent. Pikachu went tense, and returned on Ash's bed.

"May I come in?" asked a female voice through the door. "I'm from the police."

Serena and Ash looked at each other, taken aback. "Yeah, come in", called Ash.

A woman with a neatly braided green hair came in and smiled formally at them. "Hello. My name is Detective Jennifer. Word travels fast in our line of work, and I heard you have been feeling much better today. If you feel up to it, I would like to talk to you about the night you got injured."

"Oh, um…" Ash was staring at the detective, but blinked then, lowering his gaze. "Yes. Sure." Pikachu was on all fours beside him, agitated.

Detective Jennifer took a seat across Serena on the other side of his bed. Serena felt really uncomfortable, but had no chance to leave before the detective spoke again: "If you feel like it, you can have someone stay here with you. Would you like me to contact your mother?"

Ash looked very uncomfortable too. "No, um… Serena can stay." He looked at Serena, surprised by his own words. He added hastily: "Only if you want, of course."

Serena felt very touched, but also quite scared. She didn't know if she wanted to hear all the details. But she couldn't turn him down, either. This was about trust, and she wanted more than anything Ash to feel like he could trust her one hundred percent. So she agreed. "If you want me to stay, I will. Of course." They smiled at each other, and Serena felt a real connection between them.

"Great, then we shall begin", said detective Jennifer, and took out her notepad. "First of all, I have been assured by your hometown professor that your Pikachu is not a threat?" She considered Pikachu carefully, like she thought he would explode any minute.

Pikachu looked as appalled as Serena felt. Ash got really furious, really fast. He grabbed his dearest Pokémon nearer to him. "Of course he is not a threat!" he almost shouted. "Pikachu is my best friend!"

"So you are saying he would never hurt you or anyone else?"

"What?" Ash got confused by the question for a second, before resuming his defensive anger. "No, he would never intentionally hurt me! He might hurt someone if they attacked him or me first, of course, but never would he cause any serious harm."

"You don't consider your condition serious?"

Ash was stunned, and so was Serena. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Pikachu was furious too, but knew it would be best for both of them if he kept calm right now. The detective was studying Ash, his expression going from shock to fury to fear. "N-no", Ash stuttered, before finding his fury again. "I said intentionally. Pikachu would never. Hurt me intentionally."

The detective was calm as ever, writing something on her pad. "So you confirm it _was_ your Pikachu who attacked you?"

Ash stared at her. Serena felt like crying. "Even if it was Pikachu", said Ash slowly. "It was in no way his fault."

Detective Jennifer nodded. "Good, that was your original statement after all. Please, if you will, tell me more about the incident, and what happened to Pikachu."

Ash's stare was confronting, but he was still holding Pikachu like he was afraid someone would attempt to take him away any second. "All right then", he said.

He started by telling them about a notorious group called Team Rocket, who had been following him for "some time now", attempting to catch Pikachu. He insisted that they were usually quite stupid and mostly an annoyance, and this had been the first time all the odds aligned and the outcome was something none of them could have expected. He told them about the surprising evolution of Inkay and how Team Rocked had left them alone after their plan went terribly wrong. Ash also emphasized how Pikachu had broken through the hypnosis multiple times because of the strong bond of love and trust between them.

Even though Ash's description of the events was very vague, Serena still felt sick to her stomach. She was also quite disturbed about the group of bad people trailing after Ash wherever he was going, were they stupid or not. It sounded weird and not at all safe. Detective Jennifer was on the same trail of thought.

"Even if the sudden evolution and Malamar's evil nature were just bad luck as you said, I don't feel good about this group constantly following you. You said there has been "a few" close calls with them before. I don't know it you mean three or twenty, but I don't really care. One time is enough. I want you to give their description to our office, and we will put out a search warrant for them."

"Sure", Ash said, seeming surprised by the sudden concern for him. "But they are very good at disguises, so they won't be easy to spot. But of course I want them stopped too, so I will do anything you think is necessary."

"Good to hear", said detective Jennifer, getting up. "This will be enough for now. I am sorry I was rude to you and Pikachu at the beginning, but I had to be certain there was nothing suspicious going on."

Ash raised his brow. "Suspicious… like what?"

The detective smiled and made a vague hand gesture. "You can never know about these things. I have seen people who would do anything their Pokémon demand, and many Pokémon who have hurt their trainers to get what they want."

"That's awful!" said Serena while Ash looked fondly at Pikachu. "Detective Jennifer… Pikachu can be stubborn, but never mean. We have been together for a long time and I trust him with my life."

"I can really see the bond between you two", the detective agreed. "Good luck to you both. We will be in contact soon about the search warrant. I will leave the officer on you door, and I would like to instruct you to stay in here as much as you can, even If you were able to walk around soon. Don't go outside alone, at least. Understood?"

Ash looked almost sulky. "I understand. But really, there is no need to worry. I'm in no danger."

Serena threw a look at him, and he smiled nervously. "Thank you detective", he said brightly after a second, turning the attention off of himself and nodding at the detective.

"Thank you for your time", answered detective Jennifer. "Stay safe."

"Bye!" said Serena, and with that, the detective was out of the door. Serena looked at Ash, who was trying to relax again. She smiled. She was not yet finished with their talk about their summer camp times.

* * *

"Would you look at that", said Meowth, leaning away from the telescope pointing at Ash's hospital window. "There was a police officer inside his room."

"What?" James exclaimed. "Are they after us? Is the twerp finally actually trying to get rid of us?"

"Well, we did step over the line just a little bit last time, if you remember", muttered Meowth.

"Those idiotic police twerps will cause no trouble for us!" Jessie shouted over him. "We, or may I say, _I_ am the costume expert! With my costumes on, they wouldn't recognize us even if we shouted our names at their faces."

The male members of Team Rocked stared at her for a moment, not saying anything.

"Anyway", started James then, turning to Meowth. "How does he look? Is he better?"

Meowth considered this. "Yeah, he's been talking to that twerpette, the older one, a long time now. And they were talking before the officer came in, too. And before that, he talked to those blond twerps. I think he's doing pretty well already." Meowth looked through the telescope again. "Oh, now he's yawning. I think the girl is going to leave him to sleep. Oh! She is taking Pikachu with her!"

"What!" screamed Jessie, pushing the Pokémon out of the way. She spied the room for a moment. "So… Pikachu trusts those other twerps then. Oh, this is perfect! The farther apart Pikachu is from Ash when we catch it, the better."

James looked uncertain. "Well, let's just wait for a day or two longer before doing anything rash, right? We don't want the kid to have a heart attack or anything."

"Sure", said Jessie. "I don't know why you care about him so much, but sure. Let's wait. But then we catch that little powerhouse, take it to the Boss and finally get our raise!"


	7. Chapters 7 to 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here is now the remaining chapters, finally all done! I have still kept the original chapter breaks visible for the pacing and maybe for an easier read.
> 
> I hope you all like the rest of this story!

**Chapter 7**

 

Ash woke up to dark, silent room.

He laid still for a moment, just listening. It must have been the middle of the night, as there was only the moonlight illuminating the world outside his window and the hospital beyond his door was eerily quiet. Ash felt sore, twitchy, uncomfortable. He fumbled for the remote, and raised his bed so he was in a sitting position. It only helped his restlessness the tiniest bit.

Ash pulled his knees up with some effort, leaning his elbows on them and head on his hands. He wanted to scream. He was brimming with energy now, his spirit recovering at much quicker pace than his body. He wanted to train, he wanted to battle, he wanted to run around with Pikachu… With the thought Ash stilled, lifting his head and looking around the room.

Pikachu was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Serena slept really poorly that night.

Her brain was filling up what Ash had left unsaid. In her dreams Ash got electrocuted repeatedly, Pikachu getting possessed by an evil Malamar over and over again. Every time she woke up feeling queasy, and after the third time it happened she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep in a while. Serena got up, sneaked silently out of the quest room where she was now staying at Bonnie and Clemont's house, put on her jacket and shoes and went outside.

The night was warm but windy, and there was no one on the streets as Serena walked around aimlessly, trying to clear her head. She couldn't comprehend what was going on between Ash and that Team Rocket. Why would Ash avoid talking about them, if they were a threat to his Pikachu? Why was he almost defending their actions, even after what happened to him because of them? Also she didn't like how much everything she had heard was affecting her. She knew she got it bad for Ash, and it would only be getting worse.

Slowing down her frantic walking, Serena distantly realized she had ended up outside the hospital without meaning to. She sighed, leaning against the building, trying to get her bearings.

It didn't take long before she got startled by the sudden sound of paws against the pavement and a questioning "Pika?" She looked around and soon noticed Pikachu not far away from her, looking at her in puzzlement. She stared back at Pikachu, equally confused.

"Pikachu? What's going on?" she asked, walking up to the little Pokémon. "Why are you outside?"

Pikachu started to explain with a frantic pace: _'I felt suddenly very anxious in the small room and had to get fresh air. So I sneaked out of the window, but now I can't get back in. The window is too high up to climb up to, and the staff in the hospital won't let me go further than the lobby. But I have to get back to Ash!'_

Serena didn't understand what was going on, but she knew Pikachu was agitated about something. She had a bad feeling about it, and knew she _had to_ get up to Ash's room. She picked Pikachu up and hurried inside, heading for the reception desk. She felt relieved to see a familiar receptionist, one that had been there often when Serena came in to visit. She could have a chance.

"Hi Serena", the girl said surprised. "What are you doing here so late? It's not visiting hours, I'm sure you know that."

"Yes, I know", Serena answered quickly. "But I think something's wrong. I found Ash's Pikachu wandering around outside. I don't know why, but even if he just snuck out for air, he needs to get back to his trainer right now. If Ash wakes up and his not there… it's-" Her voice was getting desperate, so she tried to calm down, finishing up with a quiet: "Please."

The girl looked conflicted. "I get it. It sounds bad. But I'm afraid I'll first need to get approval from my manager before I can let you up." She was reaching for the phone. "It might take a while. I'm so sorry."

Pikachu made a frustrated sound, but Serena got an idea. "Hey, wait. There is a police officer outside his room who recognizes me and Pikachu. She is responsible for both of their safety, so I'm sure she will let me go in, and it there is a problem later on because of it, she will take care of it. Please, call her first?"

"All right", said the receptionist, and after a quick search for the officer's number she called her. It only took a second before the officer answered and the girl explained what was going on.

Serena asked to speak to her too, and got the phone. "Hi, it's Serena. I'll be up there in a minute, but please could you make sure right away he's still asleep?"

"Sure." There was a short silence and then the sound of keys opening a lock. Suddenly the officer spoke to someone other than Serena: "Hey, what are you doing? Get back to bed!"

There was a mumbled response from farther away, and the officer answered: "No, you won't." She listened for a second before continuing: "Stop it! Serena is downstairs with Pikachu. They will be here any second."

Serena had frozen with the phone to her ear, listening to the officer speak to Ash. She snapped out of it, handed the phone back to the worried-looking receptionist and bolted for the stairs. Pikachu jumped out of her arms and ran ahead, leaping up the stairs. Serena had never run so fast in her life, and she was gasping for air when she finally arrived at the open door leading to Ash's room. She stared at the scene.

Ash was standing by an open closet, wearing only his underwear and a shirt halfway on like he hadn't quite figured out how to get the hand with the IV-line through the armhole. The officer was beside him, holding him up, and Pikachu was on the bed, talking frantically to Ash. Ash looked like he was in pain, and Serena rushed to them, helping the officer to lead him back to his bed.

Ash sat heavily on the edge of his bed and after the officer got his shirt back off, Pikachu jumped on his lap and stared up at him. Ash hugged the Pokémon before turning to look at Serena warily. "What's going on? Why was Pikachu with you?"

"Thank you officer. It's all right now", Serena said, moving to sit in front of Ash. The woman left them alone after a final confused look. Serena turned to Ash. "What were you thinking?" she asked instead, not answering his question. "Trying to go find Pikachu by yourself?"

Ash got pissed. "Of course I would go find Pikachu", he snapped. "Why was he with you?"

Serena sighed. It would be no use being angry at him. "I don't know, Ash", she said quietly. "I slept badly, so I went for a walk. That's when I ran into Pikachu, outside the hospital."

Ash stared at her for a while, his body deflating as the suspicion left him. He stopped frowning at Serena, instead turning to Pikachu. "Why would you go outside without telling me?" he asked. "I was so worried."

Pikachu looked really resentful. _'I'm sorry'_ , he said sadly. _'I couldn't sleep the whole night, and the room was making me anxious. I didn't think you would wake up before I got back.'_

Ash seemed to understand some of it, and nodded resigned. "You really need to spend more time outside with Serena and the others. You will go crazy in here." He laughed shortly, seeming self-conscious about his own appearance. "Have you seen me? I'm going crazy too."

Serena too was starting to realize the fact he was almost naked in front of her. She tried her best not to stare, but couldn't not notice how thin he looked, and how many half-healed bruises there were all over his body.

"Thanks, Serena", Ash said suddenly, and Serena jumped slightly, hoping her watching wasn't obvious. Ash was still holding Pikachu on his lap, smiling at her, but he looked exhausted. "I don't know what I was thinking. I'm just getting really tired of laying still. I guess this was a good enough excuse for me to get up."

"I understand", Serena said and smiled too. "But I did nothing. It was only good luck I ran into Pikachu."

_'You did everything you could so I would get back into this room'_ , argued Pikachu, and Ash's gaze was intense. "Yeah. You got Pikachu back to me."

Serena avoided the look, fighting a blush. "You should lay back down", she said, and Pikachu agreed, moving to make space for him.

"Maybe", Ash said, but didn't move. He stared at the hospital gown he had discarded on the floor, next to some of his other personal belongings that had fallen off of the shelf while he had searched for his clothing. Serena noticed a red cap and a belt for the Poké Balls, and still in the closet was a green backpack. He didn't have much else than that.

When Ash stayed still, Serena grew concerned. "Do you… do you need help?"

Ash jumped and raised his head. "No, um… I'm just thinking how good it felt the first few seconds. Standing up I mean." He's legs hanging over the edge of the bed were swinging slightly, like he was about to do it again. "But it was only a few seconds. After that it was awful. Feels like I'm never getting better."

Serena felt really bad for him. She watched as he struggled to move backwards on the bed, lifting his legs one at the time on it and slipping under the sheet. He leaned against the elevated bed, sighing and closing his eyes.

"You know Ash, I remember what you said the first time we met. You never give up until the end", Ash opened his eyes, surprised. Serena smiled encouragingly. "It's only your second week here and you have been recovering faster than expected. You will get to walk around soon, I'm sure!"

Ash chuckled. "You are right, I won't give up. Instead, I will heal even quicker!" His look went from depressed to determined in seconds. "Thanks Serena. You really know what to say."

"Sure", she said, stunned.

"I guess I will need to rest if I want to get better faster", Ash mused. He frowned then, looking at Serena. "Why couldn't you sleep anyway? It's after midnight, you must be really tired."

Like on cue, Serena yawned. She laughed shortly. "Yeah, a bit. I got nightmares earlier. I guess none of us slept well today."

"True", said Ash amused. Then he yawned too. He was clearly fighting to keep his eyes open. Pikachu stepped on the remote, making the bed lower down. Ash grinned. "Clearly it's my time to sleep. Thanks again, for everything you have done for Pikachu and me."

"Sleep well", Serena said with a flustered smile. "You too, Pikachu. We will be back later today."

They wished each other good night, and Serena left the room quietly. Closing the door behind her, she leaned against it for a moment, gathering her thoughts.

"Boys, right?" said the officer, making Serena jump again.

She chuckled embarrassed. "He can be reckless." She sighed, straightening up. "I appreciate your help today. Good night."

"Good night. Try to get some sleep."

Serena walked back slowly, going over the events over and over again. And when she finally fell asleep, her dreams were filled with Ash's smiles.

* * *

There was a visitor, Brock, with Ash the following day, so Serena, Bonnie and Clemont went out to the park with all of their and Ash's Pokémon. Even Pikachu came with them, having learned something from last night. Serena had explained the siblings briefly what had happened during the night, after they had wondered why she seemed so tired.

Bonnie was petting Pikachu. "Yeah, Pikachu", she said after Serena's story. "Hasn't anyone told you that you will sleep poorly if you stay inside all the time?"

"I don't think it has been a problem before", laughed Clemont. Pikachu agreed. He was tired too, having not gotten much sleep at all that night. He hadn't really slept even after he was returned to Ash's room, feeling guilty for what he almost had caused.

Bonnie looked thoughtful. "Probably. When we were smaller that was all our father ever said to us. Clemont especially was spending all his time in his room!"

Clemont paused his tinkering, turning to her. "Hey! I had so many great ideas all the time so I didn't have time to waste hanging around outside!"

"Or you just were lazy", she mumbled and he threw a handful of grass at her.

Serena laughed, leaning backwards against her arm and shielding her eyes from the midday sun with her other hand. "I didn't have much of a choice. I have spent my whole life outside caring for Rhyhorn and other Pokémon with my mom."

Bonnie laid back on the grass too. "That doesn't sound so bad to me."

Serena smiled wistfully. "I guess. I love all of the Pokémon we have at home, but maybe it was the fact I got no say in it. I was to become a Rhyhorn racer and that was it."

"So, what do _you_ want to become?" asked Clemont. He was watching the Pokémon roam around the park, enjoying the warm, sunny day.

Serena was watching the Pokémon too, feeling almost lost. "That's the problem. I really don't know yet. That's part of the reason why I took this job in the first place. I just know I can't spend my whole life in one place."

"I understand", Clemont said. "In a way, I'm yearning an adventure myself too. Being a gym leader isn't always that exciting, and now that I have seen how much Ash has already experienced… I want it too. I think only that way I could actually learn more about Pokémon and myself."

Bonnie suddenly sat up, looking at them excitedly. "When Ash is better, we could join him on his journey! Right big brother? Could we travel with him?"

"I guess", said Clemont hesitantly. "We would have to ask him, of course."

Bonnie wasn't bothered. "Let's just ask Pikachu." She turned to Pikachu, who had been running around in circles with Bunnelby and Fennekin. He stopped, hearing his name. Bonnie grinned. "What do you think Pikachu? Could we travel with you and Ash?"

Pikachu made a happy sound, nodding. Bonnie cheered in joy. "We are going on a journey!" She turned to Serena, who was getting nervous. "Will you join us too, Serena? Please, you should come too!"

"Um…" Serena looked from Bonnie to Clemont to Pikachu, who all were staring at her expectantly. She smiled, feeling warm inside. "Sure. If it's fine with Ash, I would love to come with you!"

They all felt good about it, resuming their relaxed lounging. Just as they were contemplating their lunch plans, a pair of scientist in lab coats appeared before them; a woman with a bright pink hair and a man with purple hair. With them was also a very tiny, weird-looking person with a tiny lab coat, glasses and a hat.

"Excuse us", said the man. "Would you happen to be the owners of all of these Pokémon?"

The kids were staring at the three of them, confused. Clemont shook his head slowly. "No, most of them are our friend's, who is not here."

"Oh, well, how about that Pikachu?" said the woman, staring almost hungrily at the baffled Pokémon. Pikachu jumped closer to Serena.

Clemont shrugged. "He's our friends, too."

"Yeah, we are taking care of Pikachu and his other Pokémon for him", said Bonnie, now holding Goomy on her lap. Frogadier, Hawlucha and Fletchinder had also gathered around them, eyeing the intruders.

"That's all fine and all", said the woman frustrated. "The thing is, we are researchers from a nearby facility, and we are specializing on how Pokémon native to other regions fare in Kalos."

"Pikachu are from Kanto, and that's very far away. We would love to do some research on him", said the little guy.

"Our lab is not far away, please follow us!" the man urged, pointing to a direction across the park and away from the hospital.

The kids hesitated. "That does sound very interesting", said Clemont apologetically. "But we were just about to go eat. After that we are going back to the hospital to see that friend."

"Yeah, maybe some other day?" offered Serena. "I think Ash would love to come with us to the lab too."

The woman suddenly looked mad. "No! Today is the best day! It has to be today!"

"Wait, some other day is fine!" said the man hastily. He grabbed his partner's arm, turning her around for some private talk. Soon, the woman emerged, smiling widely again. "He is right!" she said. "Maybe tomorrow will do? We are very busy you see. Also, it won't take long, so I'm sure your friend doesn't have to come along for it if he's sick."

"That's right. Just tell him the results later!" the little person proceeded. The kids looked at each other, shrugging.

"We will think about it", said Serena. Her stomach screamed for food, and she shifted her weight. "We really have to go now. Where can we find you again?"

"Just come to this park at sunset tomorrow. We will find you", advised the purple-haired man. "No need to worry about anything, we are professionals!"

They were retreating while they spoke. "Bye bye! See you tomorrow!" they cried, turning around and quickly disappearing down the path.

"They seemed… nice", Bonnie said to the silence that followed. They all laughed, gathered their belongings and headed for lunch.

* * *

Ash was super happy to see Brock again.

Brock had heard from Misty and Dawn, and told Ash they were very sorry to not be able to visit just yet. Ash would have loved to see them too, but understood it wasn't easy to travel long distances. It was only luck Brock had a chance to visit – he was meeting the local Nurse Joy for a talk about new Pokémon medication. He had put aside some time on his schedule to visit Ash, too.

It had taken them a while to go over everything they had experienced after Sinnoh. Brock wasn't too happy about the fact Ash had decided to travel alone in Kalos but Ash just shrugged, saying it had been a different experience.

"I must admit though", he was saying. "It's much more fun to travel with friends. Even though I had my Pokémon, it's not the same."

Brock nodded understanding. "I would have thought so too", he agreed. "So, what do you plan to do after you have challenged the Lumiose City gym? Where a you heading next? And will you go with those new friends on yours? They seem great."

"I'm thinking Laverre City, it has a fairy-type gym", answered Ash. "And yeah, it would be awesome to go with Serena, Clemont and Bonnie! I don't know if they want to come, though. I will have to ask them."

"I'm sure they want to", smiled Brock. "I'm impressed Pikachu trusts them so much too."

Ash chuckled. "It did take a while. But it's great now. He couldn't stand staying inside all the time."

Brock looked at him. "Can you?"

Ash quieted, staring down at his hands. The IV was finally off, and he was getting back to eating solid foods. It was a small joy, but what he really wanted was to go outside. He was told it wouldn't be long now, if he just contained himself a while longer. "Barely", he admitted. "I'm really bored of doing nothing."

"I can believe that", said Brock sympathetically. "It's good you have friends here to keep you company."

"Yeah, Serena is awesome", agreed Ash, but added quickly: "Bonnie and Clemont too. I don't know what I would do without them."

Brock smirked. "Serena, huh?"

Ash didn't know why he felt so nervous all of a sudden. "Well… She has spent the most time with me."

"Sure", said Brock, still smiling knowingly. Ash felt flustered for no apparent reason, wanting to change the subject. He didn't have to though, since there was a knock on the door and the girl in question came in followed by the blond siblings and an army of Pokémon.

"Hi Ash, hi again Brock", Serena greeted. "We just had lunch, so we are free now if you have to go."

Brock stood up. "Yes, unfortunately I do have things to do. It was great to see you Ash and Pikachu. I might come to say hey again before I leave."

"Great to see you too, Brock", answered Ash, sad to see his friend go so soon.

Brock turned to the Kalos friends. "You too Serena, Bonnie and Clemont. Look after Ash. Don't let him do anything stupid." He grinned at the boy, who looked offended. "He does know how to do that."

"We won't", smiled Clemont. "Take care."

After Brock left, Ash's Pokémon rushed on and around the bed, excited to see him. Ash was excited too, and they spent a while just playing with the Pokémon and talking with Ash about his history with Brock. After that Bonnie asked how he met all of his Kalos Pokémon, and they were especially amused to hear Goomy had just dropped from the sky directly on Ash.

They were having a great time, their conversation flowing endlessly, when finally a nurse peeked his head through the door, announcing it was time for Ash's dinner, shower and medicine.

Ash went serious instantly. "And after that it's mom-time", he groaned. "Then sleep."

The nurse nodded, unwavering. "That's right. I will have to ask your friends to leave."

The kids agreed resentfully. "All right. We will see you tomorrow."

"Yeah… see you", said Ash.

It was only after they had closed the hospital door behind them that they realized they had forgot to mention the researchers interested in Pikachu. Well, they would just tell Ash about it tomorrow. Those researchers had said it would only be a quick thing.

It would be fine.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

 

"What? Ash! You can't be serious!"

"Of course I'm serious", said Ash, pulling on his pants. "I'm feeling great today! And I really want to see what they think of Pikachu. I'm sure he has adapted to Kalos perfectly!" Pikachu made a proud sound from the floor.

Serena felt helpless. "But- but… We don't know how long it will take! What if you get sick or hurt?"

"It will be fine", exclaimed Ash, finishing pulling on his jacket and turning around. "Boy, do I feel good in my own clothes. Where's my hat?"

Serena had to admit he did look great. Standing up, full of energy, in clothes that fit him. He was a different Ash from the one barely able to stay awake who she had met a bit over week ago. She was still worried. Even if he didn't let in on it, Ash was still weak. This could go terribly wrong.

"Promise you will take it easy at least?" she pleaded as he was adjusting his cap. "And tell us right away if you start to feel unwell."

"Sure", said Ash, but he was grinning at Pikachu. "Hop on buddy!"

"Um-" started Serena, but Pikachu was too quick, excitedly jumping on Ash's shoulder. The moment he landed, Ash's face went pale and he staggered backwards. Pikachu hopped off instantly, frightened. Ash collapsed on a nearby chair, stunned by his own feebleness. Pikachu looked at him and made worried sounds.

Ash stared at his friend dumbfounded. "Uh… You were heavier than I remembered", he stated after a short moment. Then he laughed. "Ha, let's not do that just yet, right Pikachu? Maybe you can travel on Serena's shoulder?"

Pikachu agreed, jumping on Serena. Serena had to laugh in delight. "Long time since the last time", she smiled.

Ash looked confused. "He's been on your shoulder before?"

Serena nodded. "Oh, yeah", she said, still smiling at Pikachu. "One time we got thrown out of you room. After that we went to the forest to pick berries." Ash looked amazed. Serena shrugged apologetically. "Unfortunately you were not doing well back then, so we had to eat all of them by ourselves."

"What a shame", mused Ash, but he didn't look too sad. "Really Serena, you have gone through a lot for me. I'm very grateful."

Serena was flustered. "It has been a great experience", she said. "I have learned a lot."

The door opened and Clemont and Bonnie peeked in. "Oh, you are coming too, Ash?" Clemont asked. "You two ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be!" announced Ash, raising from his chair. He seemed to have gotten his energy back from before.

Bonnie looked amused by this. "He sure is excited", she said giggling.

Before they could take a step, the door opened wider and the officer from Ash's door loomed behind the siblings. "Ready to go where?" she demanded. The kids looked around feeling nervous all of a sudden.

Ash recovered the fastest. "I can come and go however I want, can't I", he said stubbornly. "It's not your decision."

The officer didn't look pleased. "Yes, unfortunately. I'm only responsible for what happens inside this room. But I would still like to know where you are going." She frowned at the clock on the wall. "And why so late? Couldn't you have gone while it was still light outside? You know I'm only concerned for you."

Ash seemed suddenly a bit embarrassed about his attitude "I get it", he admitted. "It's only that there's a research project going on nearby and they want us to take part in it. They said the lab is close by and it won't take long. I'll be back before you know it!"

"If you say so", answered the officer, still sounding skeptical. "Have you talked to your nurse about this?"

Ash stared at her for a second. "What?" he said. "No, should I have?"

"Maybe you should", Clemont said. "He could give you advice what to do if there's a problem."

"Yeah, Ash", agreed Serena.

Ash sighed and sat back down "Fine. But we will be late soon."

"I'll go get him", said the officer. She left the room, but not before looking sternly at each of them and ordering: "Do not go anywhere."

When they were alone, Clemont asked: "You sure you're up to this?"

Ash huffed annoyed. "Why are you all like that?" he moaned. "Seriously, I'm doing fine. I was getting really excited to go out."

"That's right Clemont", said Bonnie. "We should trust Ash, not doubt him. Let's not ruin the day."

"Okay", complied Clemont, but he and Serena both still looked tentative about the whole thing. "Sorry Ash. I'm sure it's going to be fun."

The officer returned with Ash's nurse, who had the same doubtful expression on his face. He still agreed Ash was fit to go out, but put the time limit to one hour maximum. He also gave with them a receiver with an emergency button to press if Ash was to get dizzy or felt any intense pain. It would send their coordinates back to the hospital. Ash put it in his backpack, they thanked the adults and finally got on their way.

* * *

Jessie, James and Meowth were hiding in a bush, spying the group of kids coming out of the hospital and heading towards the park.

Something seemed off, and Meowth was the first to make the connection. "Hey, wait a minute", he said. "Isn't that The Twerp?"

Jessie and James focused their binoculars in a hurry. "It is!" screeched Jessie. "What is he doing with them? He wasn't supposed to come!"

"This is bad", said James nervously. "He's trouble."

"He's not looking too hot, though", said Meowth, still staring them through the binoculars, noting how slowly they were approaching. "Probably not up to causing too many problems for us."

"That's what we always think, isn't it?" despaired James, but Jessie was back to her good spirits. "We shall strike while he's weak! After that he will know to not mess with Team Rocket ever again!"

"Yeah!" agreed James, staring to get excited as well. "We will get all of his Pokémon _and_ get rid of the annoying twerp with the same effort!"

"And the Boss will love us!" added Meowth with starry eyes.

* * *

Ash, Serena, Bonnie and Clemont arrived at the park, looking around in the darkening evening and wondering if the scientist would find them there. Ash was sweating after the short walk, but assured the others he was doing fine. He still leaned against a tree to rest when they stopped to wait.

It didn't take long before the three appeared out of nowhere, still as smiling and enthusiastic as last time. "Good evening!" exclaimed the pink haired woman. "We are happy to see you arrived on time! My name is Nessie, this is my research partner Jamie and that's our assistant! Oh, and I see you took your friend with you." She side-eyed them for a second before adding trough her teeth: "Against our advice."

Ash pushed himself away from the tree. "Nice to meet you", he said. "My name's Ash. I really want to see what you can find out about Pikachu. He's my best friend!" Pikachu made a happy sound on Serena's shoulder.

His other friends came closer as well. "Hi again. I'm Clemont, and this is my sister Bonnie."

"Hey", greeted Bonnie.

"And I'm Serena", said Serena, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, yeah", continued the woman distractedly. "Come on, there's no time to waste. We have a car nearby."

"Oh, great", said Ash relieved. "I'm not too much into walking right now." Serena threw him a concerned look, but he acted like he didn't notice.

"Yes, no worries!" assured Jamie. "Just follow us!"

Their van was very close by as they had said, and the kids got in. They were getting excited about the project, Ash telling the others proudly how Pikachu had gone through many different regions with him without any problems. He was sure to be fine in Kalos, too.

* * *

Brock arrived at the hospital quite late after a busy day at the Pokémon Center. He hoped Ash would still be awake.

Stepping into the lobby, he got surprised to see the officer from Ash's door drinking coffee at one of the benches there. She was as beautiful as ever, but with effort Brock contained his feelings and approached the woman the normal way.

"Hey there", he greeted. "Are you on a break?"

She greeted him back, but her smile was weak. "Well, in a way. Ash is out with his friends."

"Out?" Brock questioned. "Out where? This late?"

"That's what I said", sighed the officer. "They insisted it would only be a quick visit. It's about some research or something."

"All right, well, I hope it's quick", said Brock disappointed, sitting down near her. "My flight is early tomorrow morning. I really wanted to see him before leaving."

"Then we are hoping the same thing", the officer said. "Anyway, I'm not going anywhere before he's back."

Brock stared at her in admiration, barely able to hold himself back. "Yeah. Me neither", he decided and stood up to get coffee.

* * *

The research lab was situated right outside the city. It was a smallish building with plain white walls and a tiny sign outside announcing its purpose. Nessie, Jamie, the tiny assistant and the kids walked inside and the three scientist got behind a counter. They pulled out a tray.

"All right, hop on here", Jamie urged Pikachu, who complied.

"If you want, we can check your other Pokémon too", Nessie offered with a bright smile. "Our equipment here is top notch. You can't get a better checkup anywhere else!"

The kids looked at each other, shrugging. "Awesome", said Ash. He took out all his Poké Balls, shouting: "Come out everybody!" Out came Fletchinder, Frogadier, Goomy and Hawlucha, all chirping happily. Clemont and Serena released their Bunnelby and Fennekin too.

The scientist looked horrified for a second before containing themselves. "You could have kept them in their Poké Balls you know", said Jamie, still looking a bit uncomfortable.

Ash wasn't bothered by this. "I'm sure the results are better this way", he answered. "Everyone, behave. We will be right here."

The adults decided to go with it. Jamie waved the Pokémon closer. "Okay, then. Follow us. It's just behind this door."

The scientist and Ash, Serena and Clemont's Pokémon disappeared through the door. Ash looked around the small room, finding a single chair by the wall. He went to sit down, starting to get exhausted again but hoping he didn't look as weary as he felt.

But Serena noticed, of course. "How are you feeling, Ash?" she asked, leaning against the wall next to him.

Ash rubbed his aching temples for a moment. Then he relaxed, leaning against the backrest. "Not awful", he answered honestly. "A bit tired, though."

Serena was studying him intently. "All right", she eventually allowed. "Remember to tell us if something's not fine."

Ash was getting tired of hearing the same sentences. "Of course", he answered shortly, but mustered up a smile for Serena.

They fell silent. Clemont was watching the door, frowning. He took a step towards it, saying: "It's awfully quiet in there."

But a second later it wasn't quiet anymore.

To their horror, the whole far wall of the building suddenly crashed down, erupting a giant cloud of dirt into the air that surrounded them completely. They all screamed in shock and had to then cough and shield their eyes.

Serena felt like she was going to suffocate, grabbing Ash's shoulder for support. And when the most of the smoke finally cleared, they were staring at a whole different view.

A large hot air balloon was rising into the air and below it hung a cage with every one of their Pokémon inside, wailing helplessly. The scientist were all in the basket of the hot air balloon, laughing at their faces.

Ash jumped up, all his exhaustion forgotten. "What are you doing?" he screamed. "Let our Pokémon go!"

"What a twerp", said Jamie. "He never learns."

Suddenly all of them ripped off their coats, revealing matching outfits. They launched into a mantra, announcing themselves as Jessie, James and Meowth of Team Rocket.

" _They_ are Team Rocket?" screamed Serena, not able to believe what she was witnessing. Clemont and Bonnie were frozen where they stood, too shocked to move an inch.

Ash was furious. "Team Rocket! Let them go right now!"

"Oh no we won't", taunted Jessie. "A twerp gets what a twerp deserves."

"And off we go!" Meowth cheered, adding power to the balloon. But Ash was not done yet. "Hawlucha and Pikachu, try to break the cage! Hawlucha, use X-Scissor and Pikachu, Iron Tail!"

The Pokémon did as told, and it only took two tries for the cage wall to come flying off. Team Rocket shouted in horror. "How was it so weak _again_?" screamed Jessie to Meowth. "Was there something unclear about making it _unbreakable_?"

Ash didn't bother listening to them, but instead kept ordering his Pokémon: "Get out of there! Fletchinder, take Fennekin on you back and Frogadier, shoot your frubbles on the ground to make a soft landing for you and the others! Hawlucha, make sure everyone gets out of the cage!"

Serena watched in amazement as everything Ash instructed got done perfectly, and in few seconds their Pokémon had all landed safely on the ground. Clemont rushed to Bunnelby, hugging him and staring angrily at the hot air balloon where Team Rocket were flailing around trying to stop their ascension. "What do you think you are doing?" he shouted, getting some of his courage back after witnessing Ash in action. "You will never get our Pokémon!"

"You are awful", screamed Bonnie too, and it started a verbal fight between them and Team Rocket Serena heard not a word of. Her focus was on Ash, who was on his knees on the ground, getting hugged by all of his Pokémon. He looked pale and shaky, and Serena worried he was not going to last much longer.

Ash turned to her. "Recall your Fennekin", he said with a surprisingly stern voice, and Serena did so. He did the same, leaving out only Pikachu. "Use Thunderbolt", he ordered, and the lightning coming out of the little Pokémon was massive, striking the balloon head on. But to everyone's surprise, it had no effect other than getting Team Rocket's attention.

"Oh yeah, electricity proofing is what we do best!" mocked Meowth.

"Yes, it's all over for you now", said Jessie with an unnerving smile. "We didn't want to do this, but you leave us no choice."

"Had you just let us take your Pokémon the easy way, you could have avoided this", continued James.

"What are you talking about?" shouted Ash angrily, still on his knees but stance determined.

"This time we have a Plan B", Jessie announced proudly. "Or should I say, Plan M."

Ash went still, his expression changing. It took Serena a few seconds longer to understand, but when she did, she went pale too, feeling weak to her knees.

"We have everything ready", Meowth kept going, enjoying their shocked looks. "Next to you is a room full of wild Pokémon and our little Malamar. One press of this button and they all get released, and with Malamar's help, we can make them do anything we command."

"You are crazy!" Ash screamed. "That Malamar is out of control!"

Clemont had recalled Bunnelby too, and he and Bonnie retreated back to Ash and Serena. Clemont and Serena were trying to keep Bonnie somewhat protected between their bodies, but it seemed hopeless as the situation kept escalating.

"Yes, we are aware of the risks", said James. "That's why we are up here, and you down there."

"One last chance", Jessie purred. "Give up your Pokémon now, or we'll let Malamar loose."

"No way!" Ash yelled, but Serena noted he was starting to seem a bit disoriented, swaying on his knees. Then the idea struck her. She dropped on her knees behind him, digging into his backpack. "What are you doing?" asked Ash, his voice slurring.

"The receiver!" Serena whispered hurriedly. "I'll send out a SOS."

"That's a great idea!" Clemont said amazed. He turned back to Team Rocket. "Just give it up! You will never get what you want."

"Such twerps", Jessie sneered. "Never knowing what's best for them. Fine. Do it, Meowth."

* * *

Even though she assured him it had only been about thirty minutes since Ash left, Brock couldn't help feeling worried. He knew how easily the boy got into trouble, and even though he usually trusted Ash's abilities to survive any given situation, this time he was still recovering from the last incident. He would be much easier a target.

And so, when the receiver they had been given by Ash's nurse suddenly started beeping, he felt scared but not exactly surprised. He sprung up, the untouched but now cold coffee he had been holding splashing on his legs. The officer got up too, staring at the screen where the coordinates were shown. "They are outside the city", she stated, sounding grave.

A couple of nurses rushed past them, shouting orders as they went, getting an ambulance ready to go. Brock said: "They think it's a medical condition, but I wouldn't be so sure. Do you have a car nearby?"

The officer nodded sharply. "I do. Follow me."

* * *

It was a total chaos.

The door next to them had opened and out came all sorts of Pokémon, everything from Beedrill to a bunch of Scatterbug to, weirdly enough, a single tiny Dedenne. They were all confused by Malamar, and attacked the kids, each other and anything else they saw.

"Malamar", commanded James. "Make the other Pokémon distract the kids down there, and get Pikachu to come with us."

Malamar itself was a bit confused by the vague order, and was flashing its light all around. "Don't look at it!" shouted Ash to no one and everyone. He had grabbed Pikachu on his arms, pressing the Pokémon's face against his chest. "Don't let it hypnotize you!"

Serena had never felt so helpless, kneeling crouched and eyes closed on the floor, random Pokémon attacks striking her and her friends from every direction. "Ash!" she pleaded, her voice cracking from the pain and fear. "What do we do?"

"Just hold on!" he replied with an equally broken voice. It took a while for him to continue: "I'll figure… something out…"

* * *

Jessie, James and Meowth were observing the scene from higher up.

"This is not going as I imagined", said James.

"Oh, really", scoffed Meowth.

"It's a mess!" screamed Jessie. "A. Complete. Mess! I can barely see the twerps through all the Pokémon rampaging around. And Pikachu is being protected by the main twerp anyway."

"Yeah", said James, his voice getting more and more depressed. "Our Plan M wasn't as magnificent as was to be expected."

"The truest thing I ever heard", agreed Meowth ruefully.

"Come on!" Jessie shouted angrily. "Don't get all moody on me now! James, do something. Make Malamar obey you!"

The whole situation was giving them serious flashbacks, and they all felt a bit queasy. James leaned over the railing and shouted: "Malamar, calm everyone down! Calm down!"

It took a while, but finally the psychic Pokémon did as was told, flashing its light again and everything on the ground came to a halt. After the earlier chaos, the sudden stillness felt almost as ominous. James sought out the kids. They were all tiny shaking balls of distress on the floor, though Ash raised his head first, looking around confused.

James took a deep breath. Everything depended on him now. He could do this.

But before he got any command out of his mouth, there was a new sound. The sound of sirens.

"Oh no", he said.

"Oh well", said Meowth.

"Did I already say this is a mess?" Jessie asked quite unnecessarily.

Multiple people were rushing the scene, one of them oddly familiar.

"No way", Meowth gasped. "That's the tall twerp!"

* * *

Ash was barely holding on to consciousness when he suddenly heard a familiar voice shouting commands. The chaos had started again around them, but he couldn't focus on any of it. Even the sounds were distant, fuzzy. He almost felt like he was floating underwater. It was nice, the tranquility.

But then, someone was there, shouting in his ear. "Ash! Come on, Ash! You got to get up and run!"

He stared at his friends face. "Brock?" he asked, squinting. "Why are you here?" It sounded weird to his own ears, and he wasn't sure the words had come out quite right.

"Don't worry about it now", Brock answered hurriedly. He turned sideways, talking to someone next to Ash. "Help him, will you? Get out as fast as you can!"

"Right", another familiar voice said, and suddenly there were arms around him, pulling him up and dragging him along. "That's right", Serena was saying. "Just keep going. We can do this. Don't give up now." He tried to concentrate on the words, on her voice, but the world around him was rapidly spinning out of focus. He stumbled, falling on the ground despite Serena's best efforts to keep him upright.

Through the haze that was his world he saw Team Rocket getting blasted off but the Malamar, again on a delirious rampage, getting left behind.

The sounds of the sirens got more and more intense, drowning out everything else as he struggled to get up again. But despite his best efforts to move, his limbs had turned to lead.

He tried to call out to Pikachu, but he wasn't even sure how his mouth worked anymore.

_At least the view could be worse_ , he thought sleepily, staring up into the big blue eyes of Serena. He felt safe so close to her, and finally allowed himself to pass out.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

 

For Serena, the scariest moment was when Ash collapsed and didn't get up again.

She did everything she could after that. She tried to lift, drag and roll him but nothing got her farther than few steps before she had to stop to gasp for air. But maybe it was the adrenaline that prevented her for giving up, for she was still in the process of hauling him along when she heard someone call her name.

She looked around through the dirt that filled the air, the mess of people and Pokémon running around, and spotted Clemont hurrying towards her. She let go of Ash in surprise and he fell on the ground limp like a ragdoll. "Clemont?" she asked when the boy reached her, panting himself. "Where's Bonnie?"

Clemont coughed the dirty air for a while, and said: "She's fine, she's safe in one of the ambulances outside." He looked at Ash laying at Serena's feet and continued: "I had to come back… After how Ash saved all of our Pokémon, I just- When I noticed you two didn't follow us out, I knew something was wrong."

Serena smiled despite everything. "Thank you, Clemont." She crouched by her unconscious friend. "All right, let's get him out of here."

Thankfully it was only a short trip to reach the entrance of the building, and after that there were multiple medical personnel rushing to help them. They had only just got Ash on a stretcher and were pushing him towards the nearest car when he woke up. Serena was by him and noticed first his eyes were open.

He was trying to get up, but Serena put a heavy hand on his shoulder. "It's fine Ash, take it easy", she said trying to appear calm and collected, even though her whole body was now trembling and she felt a bit dizzy.

Ash was still slightly struggling against her hold, glancing around. "Where's- where's Pikachu?"

Serena bit her lip. "He's with Brock", she answered, hoping it would be enough. But Ash wasn't about to let it go, staring at her surprisingly sharply, asking again: "Where?"

Serena looked at him desperately. "Still inside. They… they are still trying to take control of the wild Pokémon."

Ash struggled again, but this time the nurse next to them pushed him down. "Please, relax", he said sternly. They were in the ambulance now, and Serena got left behind, standing helplessly just on the edge of it, watching Ash argue with the nurse. Ash speech got more and more slurred as he kept going, and soon he exhausted himself out and fell asleep.

The nurse looked at her and got a frown on his face. He shouted at someone behind her: "Hey, Mia! Come here."

Serena turned around and was faced with a young nurse. "Oh dear", the nurse said. "Follow me. Let's take a look at you."

Serena was confused by the statement, but followed Mia to the other ambulance. She instructed Serena to sit down and was suddenly wiping her face with a moist cloth. "What are you doing?" Serena asked puzzled. "I'm fine."

"You have a head wound", Mia said, pressing a large white band aid on her forehead. "Nothing serious, but take it easy for a couple of days."

"What?" said Serena again. She felt around the bandage, feeling strange. She noticed then was still shaking, but the young nurse was on top of it, draping a blanket over her shoulders. Suddenly Serena felt ill, and she pressed her face on her hands, bending over.

Mia was rubbing her back, talking with a soft voice: "You might be going into a shock. It's nothing to be afraid of. Just take deep breaths and try focus on the present. Everything is going to be fine, you and your friends are safe with us."

It took a while, but eventually Serena felt a bit better, her body relaxing and the shock turning into bone-deep exhaustion. She swayed, eyes drooping, trying to steady herself on the nurse still sitting beside her. "That's it", said Mia, putting an arm around Serena's back and gently helping her up. "You can come rest inside this ambulance."

Serena followed her and laid down on the bed, feeling tired and restless at the same time. She couldn't help still worry about what was going on inside with the Malamar and all the wild Pokémon, and if Brock and Pikachu were all right in the middle of that mess.

Suddenly there was a soft voice next to her. "Hey Serena", said Bonnie, and her tiny hand took hold of her own. Serena turned her head to look at the small girl.

She smiled, noticing Bonnie looked unharmed though covered in dirt. "Hey Bonnie", she answered, squeezing her hand gently. "How are you doing?"

Bonnie just stared at her, multiple emotions flashing on her face. Soon she was crying, wiping her face furiously. "I'm fine, but you are not!" she cried. "And Ash is not fine. And all those poor Pokémon in there… They couldn't control themselves but now they are getting hurt because of what those evil people did!" Her voice broke, and she pressed her face on the edge of the bed, sobbing.

Serena wanted to hug her properly, but couldn't find the energy to get up. She put a comforting hand on Bonnie's shoulder, trying to repeat what Mia had done for her. "I'm fine, Bonnie", she said, but the girl just sobbed harder. "Bonnie, look at me", she insisted, and finally Bonnie did, lifting her head to stare at Serena, sniffling. "I'm fine. This is nothing, I'm just really tired. Ash is going to be fine too. I'm sure they are doing everything they can right now to stop that Malamar and help all the Pokémon that got affected."

Bonnie nodded, wiping her eyes. Serena felt really proud of the brave little girl. "I carried a Dedenne out of there when I ran out with Clemont", Bonnie said then. She got a little smile on her face. "She's with Nurse Joy now, but I'll ask Clemont to catch it for me later."

Serena laughed, finally believing herself what she had told Bonnie. They would be fine.

* * *

The Malamar gave a good chase, but they finally got it contained.

Brock leaned against the nearest wall, trying to catch his breath. He had been running after the dark psychic Pokémon with Pikachu and his Forretress for half an hour at least. He was late for the final battle though, and when he arrived at the place Malamar was last spotted, the officers of the city had it already captured.

Brock congratulated them, recalled his Pokémon and turned then to Pikachu. "I guess that was it", he said, and Pikachu nodded, looking exhausted. "Let's get back to Ash and the others, right?"

During their chase, they had run all the way to the city through a small forest that separated the city from the fake facility Team Rocket had put up. Brock took Pikachu on his shoulder and jogged back, but when he finally reached the place, all the ambulances had left and only few officers remained, checking out the property. Pikachu made a disappointed sound. He really wanted to get back to Ash.

Brock approached one of the officers. "Hey", he greeted. "So what's the situation? Where did they take the kids and the Pokémon?"

"You must be Brock", the officer said, continuing: "If I understood it correctly, they are on their way to the nearest Pokémon Center. Not the one in the city center though, since that one's too busy for such a large group like this one to arrive at once, but the one near the north edge."

Brock nodded. "All right, thank you."

The officer shook his head. "No, thank you. I heard you were the first one alert of the seriousness of the situation and also the first one to rush in to help."

Brock shrugged. "I would do anything to help a friend. Anyway, it also was my Forretress that blasted Team Rocket off without their Malamar, leaving it here to cause chaos."

The officer smiled, patting his shoulder. "It turned out fine in the end, so too late to worry about that. Now, go see your friends."

"Thanks. I will." Brock turned around, starting again on the same road back to the city. Good thing he had a long history of wandering around and getting lost with Ash, so this only felt like a minor inconvenience.

* * *

"-Just exhausted. He will be fine, don't worry."

"Thank you, Nurse Joy."

Ash was slowly waking up, hearing quiet conversation happening over him. He frowned, not happy to be back in his sore body. The voices stopped for a second, and he assumed they had noticed him moving.

Opening his eyes, he stared straight at his mother's face. "Hey", he croaked, his voice rough.

Delia smiled. "Hey honey." She turned around, reaching for something. Soon she had a glass of water in her hand. "Would you like some water?" Ash nodded, and his mother helped him take a few sips.

Ash thanked her, relaxing on his pillow and staring up to the ceiling. He noticed quickly his wasn't his hospital room. "So…" he started, turning to look at Delia. "What happened? Where are we?"

Delia sighed. She looked tired, almost frustrated. "Well… I heard you passed out soon after Brock arrived. After that they alerted a lot of officers at the scene to contain all the Pokémon. But the Malamar got away and escaped all the way to the city, causing trouble here too. Eventually they did capture it." She looked at him with sad eyes, and Ash tried to process everything he had just heard. Delia continued: "We are at a Pokémon Center now. All the affected Pokémon and also the Malamar are here."

Ash looked around, searching for his best friend. But the room was empty beside him and his mother. "Where's Pikachu?" he asked, suddenly worried. "Is he okay? What about Serena and Bonnie and Clemont? And where's Brock?"

Delia put a hand up. "Calm it. Everyone's okay. Pikachu and all the other Pokémon are still getting checked for any injury and your friends are resting too." She looked at her watch. "Brock's probably outside flirting with Officer Jenny or Nurse Joy or both. He's waiting to get to see you."

"All right." Ash rubbed his eyes, feeling a headache coming. The whole situation was crazy. He asked: "What are they going to do with the Malamar?"

Delia shrugged, seeming conflicted. "I'm not sure. Technically it still belongs to that James, but as it was used to cause harm to others… I guess they are still discussing it."

Ash nodded. "Okay. But I hope they know Team Rocket is going to come back for it."

Delia looked a bit shocked. "Are you sure? I don't think they are taking that into account."

"Yeah, I'm sure", Ash answered resigned. "They might be criminals, but they wouldn't leave one of their own behind."

"Oh." Delia looked around anxiously. "I better tell them that first thing in the morning." She looked at her watch again. "It's almost two in the morning now. I'll go fetch Brock here."

They wished good night to each other and Delia hurried out of the room.

Brock came in soon after that.

He sat by Ash's bed. "Hi there. How're you doing?" He looked disheveled, his hair more a mess than usual and his clothes rumpled and dirty. Ash kind of wanted to ask him the same thing.

He answered anyway: "I'm fine, Brock. I'm more worried about Pikachu and the others."

Brock huffed a laugh. "Of course you would be." His look was quite fond. "Pikachu is doing great, he's just tired like everyone else. He was a great help coming with me to clear the chaos."

Ash tried his hardest to believe it, but he had to admit he was already suffering from serious separation anxiety. He changed the topic. "What about Serena? I remember she was helping me run away, and later she was there when we were outside but… it's all so hazy."

Brock smiled. "She's fine too, though she took some damage trying to protect you after you fell unconscious." Ash looked shocked, so he quickly continued: "Only minor cuts and bruises. She's going to be fine, Ash."

But Ash was not taking it well. "Oh man", he moaned. "That's awful. She shouldn't have done that."

Brock raised his hand in surrender. "Talk to her about it. But if you ask me, I'm glad she did it. You are bruised enough as it is."

Ash didn't answer though, still moping about Serena putting her life on the line for him. Brock patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Just try to accept it. You are quite important to her."

Ash stared blankly at him. "Yes, but-"

Brock laughed. "Anyway. I'm leaving in the morning, so in few hours actually." He frowned, suddenly serious. "It's not nice to leave at a time like this, but work calls unfortunately. I hope we can meet again soon, but I'm not sure when that'll be."

"Aw, you are leaving already?" Ash complained. Then he smiled. "Well, I'm glad you had a chance to visit at all."

Brock agreed: "Me too."

The door opened, and Nurse Joy came in carrying Pikachu. "Your Pikachu is in perfect health", she announced. Pikachu jumped from her arms and rushed on Ash's bed, exclaiming happily.

Ash grinned. "Pikachu! I'm so happy you're all right!" Pikachu agreed, and they hugged each other.

Brock watched them amused. "I guess it's time for everyone to get some sleep." He stood up and Ash calmed down. "Try to take it easy, Ash. See you again."

Ash waived a hand sadly. "See you, Brock. Thanks for your help."

After Brock left, silence fell into the room.

Ash petted Pikachu absent-mindedly, thinking about everything that happened and for some reason, ended up wondering about Serena, and what Brock had meant when he said Ash was important to her.

When he finally fell asleep, his dreams were colored blue.

* * *

The following morning was sunny and bright, and it felt difficult to comprehend how dramatic the previous night had been.

Bonnie and Clemont were the first ones outside, enjoying the calmness of the morning. Bonnie was playing with the Dedenne, trying to persuade Clemont to catch it for her. It liked her a lot, and Bonnie found it endlessly adorable. "We are a perfect match", she concluded, looking expectantly at her brother.

Clemont sighed. "I guess I could catch it. But you have to promise me you will take good care of it, all right?"

Bonnie nodded furiously. "I will! I promise!"

"Okay then", Clemont said, taking out a Poké Ball. "Dedenne, I'm going to catch you now."

Dedenne chirped happily, and went easily into the Ball. Clemont and Bonnie couldn't help cheering excitedly, before Clemont released Dedenne again and it jumped on Bonnie's lap. "Yay!" exclaimed Bonnie, hugging the tiny Pokémon. "We are going to be best friends!"

Clemont raised his head and noticed Ash with Pikachu on his shoulder had wandered outside. He waved, shouting a good morning –wish. Ash smiled and raised his hand in greeting, but didn't approach them. Instead he sat down on the terrace, looking thoughtful.

Dedenne made a confused sound, and Bonnie explained: "Those are Ash and Pikachu. They are our friends and they are super cool!" Dedenne looked excited and Bonnie continued: "But they have been through a lot lately, so we need to give them space."

"That's right", said Clemont. "But I'm sure you will soon have a chance to get to know them." Hearing this, Dedenne chirped happily.

Suddenly the Center's door opened again, and Nurse Joy came out, followed by an army of Pokémon who all dashed to different directions. Some of them disappeared instantly to the streets and bushes surrounding the Pokémon Center, but others stayed on the yard, hesitant to leave the safety of it.

Nurse Joy called out to those: "Go on, you are all fine and free now! Go back to your homes!"

Clemont smiled. "Those must be all the wild Pokémon that stayed the night here." Bonnie watched with hearts in her eyes as the herd of variety of Pokémon slowly scattered, going on to find their way out of the city and into the forest or wherever they had originally been picked up by Team Rocket.

"Bye bye!" yelled Bonnie to them and Clemont chuckled, feeling better with knowing they had all recovered well.

Ash's mother also came outside, breathing in deeply and bathing her face in the sunlight. Clemont noticed Ash was watching her fondly, though he still stayed a small distance away from her and Nurse Joy.

Bonnie had a frown on her face. "I wonder where Serena is", she said to no one in particular. Clemont shrugged, having noticed the missing girl too. "Maybe she's still sleeping", he mused. "She did get a bit battered last night."

Bonnie worried her lip, looking slightly sad. "Yeah… I hope she's all right."

Nurse Joy approached them through the yard. "So, how are you two feeling today?" she asked, crouching next to them. "Did you get any sleep?"

Clemont nodded, smiling. "I slept well, thank you. I'm feeling quite fine."

"Yup, me too", said Bonnie. "But maybe I haven't just yet really understood what even happened. It's like it happened to someone else and not me."

"That's perfectly normal", said Nurse Joy gently. "You mustn't be afraid if you start feeling anxious about it later though, even weeks from now. It was something neither of you have ever experienced before, so it might take a while for you brain to process it all."

Bonnie looked abashed, but Clemont hummed in agreement. "That's good to know. Thanks."

Nurse Joy got up. "Yes. But try not to worry about anything like that now." She noticed Dedenne curled up and dozing on Bonnie's lap and smiled brightly. "Oh, I see little Dedenne decided to stay with you. That's wonderful."

Bonnie grinned, lifting Dedenne up to her face-level. "It is! It will be my Pokémon when I'm old enough!"

Nurse Joy laughed. "Great! Hey, I hope you are hungry. Lunch will be ready in half an hour, right after Officer Jenny returns from her meeting."

"Thank you!" the siblings said, and Nurse Joy returned to Delia's side, the two women resuming their quiet talk about something or other.

They continued like that for a while, Clemont and Bonnie sitting on the grass, occasionally talking and playing with Dedenne, and Ash sitting on the porch with Pikachu, deep in thought. After a while Clemont leaned back on the grass, feeling warm and relaxed. He felt like taking a nap.

He didn't get far on the thought, though, before Dedenne made an agitated sound next to him and started to scratch about.

Clemont lifted his head a little, finding Bonnies gaze. "What's got Dedenne all nervous?"

Bonnie looked clueless. "No idea." She turned her head around, trying to find the disturbance. Clemont watched the distance too, not seeing anything unusual. But when he turned to Ash and Pikachu, he noted Pikachu looking tense too, with Ash seeming as clueless as they were.

_I have a bad feeling about this_ , he thought, and then the ground started to shake violently under them.

Without a second thought, Clemont tackled Bonnie under him, and the grass exploded with a giant roar.

Everyone on the yard screamed.

It was a mess, bits of dirt and grass and rock raining on them. Clemont screwed his eyes shut and tried to make himself bigger, covering as much of Bonnie as he could, taking the hits from the flying bits with a grimace.

When the raining of the particles that used to be the yard finally ceased, Clemont opened his eyes, sitting back on the still intact part of the lawn and stared up at the giant machine that had appeared next to him and Bonnie.

His ears were ringing, but he heard Ash's angry voice shouting: "Team Rocket!"

Clemont turned to Bonnie, who looked shocked to the core. The deep-settled responsibility over her taking charge, he scampered up, pulling his little sister up behind him and started pushing her farther from the giant machine and towards the entrance to the Pokémon Center where everyone else was standing, facing it with expressions varying from horror to, in Ash and Pikachu's case, fury.

Only after he reached the relative safety of the porch did he realize Team Rocked were reciting their motto, _again_. Nurse Joy and Delia were standing next to each other, looking scared or at least extremely shocked. Noticing them approaching, Delia waved at them to come where they were.

"Are you both okay?" she asked concerned, and both Clemont and Bonnie nodded, unable to speak. Delia gazed worriedly at Ash, who was nearer to Team Rocket's machine and having an angry shouting match with them. "This is horrible! They just burst through the ground! They could have hurt you badly." She kept staring at her son. "And now Ash is going against them again. Who knows what will happen this time."

Clemont turned to look at the offending machine, which, quite disturbingly, looked like a giant Diglett with a drill arm. Team Rocket were standing on an elevated platform on top of it, gloating about their newest plan.

"There's not really much you twerps can do, you see", was Jessie saying.

"With that, I agree", boasted James.

"So just let our Malamar free!" concluded Meowth. "Or we shall take it with force."

"Just give it up already!" Ash answered, having assumed a fighting pose, hand ready on his belt. "That Malamar has caused you nothing but trouble!"

James started to argue, but shut his mouth abruptly, looking at his partners with a frown. After a quick whispered argument, he turned back to Ash. "Well, that's true. But!" He posed pompously. "Eventually we will find sufficient use for its powers! And anyway, it is my Pokémon and I want it back!"

"That's not going to happen!" shouted Clemont, surprising even himself. He left Bonnie at the care of the women, walking up to Ash. Ash looked at him anxious, but also proud. Clemont went on: "It's better for everyone this way!"

Jessie scoffed, like what he had just said was the stupidest thing she had ever heard. "We don't care about everyone. We only care about us."

"Yes, and that's why we will take Malamar back." Meowth raised up the control panel he was holding. "Right now."

With that, Team Rocket's platform descended back into the machine and they disappeared out of sight. Then the enormous Diglett look-a-like whirred into action, the drill hand starting to wave around dangerously.

"Watch out!" shouted Ash, pushing Clemont to the side. The drill smashed into the side of the building, and all over again was Clemont showered with flying bits, though this time it was pieces of wood and cement and glass.

For a moment, his world consisted only of smoke and pain.

Then a piercing scream from Bonnie cut through his own distress: "Serena's still inside!"

It was only for a second when Clemont and Ash's eyes locked, but Clemont knew instantly what was going to happen.

Before he got a single word out of his mouth, Ash had dashed into the building trough the gaping, grumbling hole in the wall.

Coughing his lungs out with the dirty air surrounding him, and seeing his friend rushing heard first into danger, Clemont felt helpless. But when the devastating drill kept on swinging, he had to retreat backwards. "Clemont!" yelled Bonnie. With a final look at the still-smoking opening, Clemont turned around and ran back to his sister's side. Bonnie looked terrified. "Clemont, are you okay? Where did Ash go?"

"To get Serena", he answered. Delia wailed, and Nurse Joy held her, staring at her ruined building. When the destruction kept getting closer to them, they had to run away from the porch farther out to the yard. Team Rocket were still smashing the wall, trying to find the room were Malamar was being held. And eventually they did.

Clemont, Bonnie, Delia and Nurse Joy stared in horror as a giant claw extended from the Diglett robot and grabbed a glass container with Malamar inside of it from the room. The claw pulled back to Team Rocket, taking the container close and eventually inside the machine.

With half the building in ruins, the swinging drill finally stopped moving. The kids and the women looked on helplessly as the robot started to retreat, heading for the property fence and the street beyond it.

A shout from the direction of the building alerted them to turn around.

And as it was, Ash came out running, Serena and Pikachu right on his heels. Serena looked disheveled and distraught, but fine otherwise. Ash was covered in rubble and tiny scratches much like Clemont was, his hair almost completely gray from cement dust. He was still going hot though, running up to Team Rocket's machine, releasing his Pokémon on the way. He let out Fletchinder and Frogadier, and along with Pikachu they faced the robot with determination.

The robot's movement stopped, and Team Rocket ascended again from inside the machine, standing soon on top of it looking very annoyed. "Give it up already, twerp", snapped Jessie.

"Let go of the Malamar!" shouted Ash back.

Jessie and James looked at each other and shrugged. "Well, as it seems we're stuck here", started James. "Let's grab Pikachu too."

In a flash came out another claw, grabbing the startled Pikachu before anyone had a chance to move a muscle. Pikachu exclaimed in shock, and Ash yelled his name.

"Ha! Pikachu is ours!" Meowth rejoiced. He was having a little party on the platform with his human partners.

Ash recovered fast though, and called out: "I don't think so! Fletchinder, Steel Wing on the claw arm! Frogadier, break the machine's cover with Aerial Ace!"

As the Pokémon attacked with steely determination, Team Rocket got nervous, Jessie screaming: "What are you doing? Stop that now!"

Fletchinder cut the arm with few well-placed attacks, releasing Pikachu from its clutches. And with the machine's insides uncovered after Frogadier's attack, Ash commanded: "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

"No! Wait!" was the last thing they heard from Team Rocket, before the thunderous attack hit the weak point and the machine exploded. When the smoke settled, left on the yard was only a pile of rubble and no Team Rocket, and no Malamar either.

It was quiet between the six of them, only the sound of approaching sirens cutting up the shocked silence.

When the police car pulled on the yard, the situation was already long over.

Ash and Serena were on their knees on the grass, coughing with the smoke and feeling exhausted. Clemont was holding Bonnie, the former starting to feel the scratches on his face and arms, his knees getting weak as the adrenaline left him. And the same was going on with Nurse Joy and Delia, both looking vaguely ill and completely worn out.

The first Jenny on the scene stared wide-eyed at them, then at the smoking remains of the Diglett machine and finally the half-destroyed Pokémon Center, and without her eyes leaving the disturbing view for a second, reached for her radio phone and called for backup.

* * *

The sun was already setting for the day before they had everything sorted out. Thankfully, as the Pokémon Center had been temporarily closed during the aftermath of the Malamar incident, there had been no one else in the building and no serious harm was caused to anyone. Ash and Clemont were a bit scratched up and everyone had breathed in some dust during the explosions, but everyone was doing just fine considering all that had happened.

After a long, warm shower Ash put on clean clothes and climbed up to the rooftop terrace of the city's other Pokémon Center they were now staying in. His body was nearly stretched to its limit by now, but still he felt restless and knew he wouldn't yet sleep in a while. In cases like that he liked to stare at the sky and let his thoughts flow freely.

And what better place was there for that than the roof?

So, when he opened the door to the terrace, he was surprised to find a familiar figure already there, sitting on the edge of it and staring at the setting sun.

Ash approached her carefully, not exactly in secret but cautious about not startling her.

Hearing his soft footsteps, Serena turned her head around to look at him. "Hi", she said quietly.

"Hi", said Ash, managing a small smile. He sat next to her, turning his upper body to look at the sunset. "Pretty nice view", he commented testily.

Serena nodded, staring into the same direction. "It is."

They were silent for a long while, but it wasn't uncomfortable. They knew exactly how tired both of them were, and the silence was calming, the shared understanding relieving the lingering tensions that had settled deep into their bones during the past 24 hours.

Still looking at the sky painted red and yellow, Serena said: "Thanks for coming to get me to safety during Team Rocket's attack today."

Ash stole a glance at her. "I wouldn't leave you – anyone – in a danger like that all alone."

Serena's look was weary. "I know. That's just who you are." Then she turned to face him properly, her smile suddenly wide and bright. "I'm still eternally grateful. I just want you to know that."

Ash didn't know what to do or say. Staring into Serena's eyes, being so close to her, he felt both safe and scared. Without thinking, he reached out, gently touching the bandage on her temple which was covering a bruise from the night before. "You suffered this for me."

Serena shrugged, gaze intense. "And I would do it again." She blushed after that, but refused to look away, challenging Ash for any kind of reaction. But Ash was helpless and kept just staring straight back at her, feeling the familiar nervousness taking hold. And when Serena started to lean in, Ash spazzed out and his head twitched to the side as his whole body went rigid.

Serena's lips brushed the corner of his mouth, and they both froze.

The second felt like an eternity, a moment in time where everything was like a freeze frame and nothing was real. But, when the moment broke, reality hit harder than ever.

They both went red as the setting sun behind them, and they jumped up, settling to stand a little distance away from each other. Ash rubbed his neck, grinning his stupid grin, and Serena was near tears with embarrassment.

"You, um…" started Ash, tugging at his hair.

Serena hid her face behind her hands. "I'm so sorry", she mumbled, her body starting to shake.

And as per usual, Ash was confused. He took a halting step towards her, but left a small space between. "…For what?" he asked, but Serena just curled more into herself. Ash started to reach out, but dropped his hand, not wanting to upset her more, even though he wasn't sure what was even going on in the first place. "Serena…"

Abruptly, Serena lifted her head and she wasn't looking frail any longer, but guarded instead. She took a step back. "It's fine, I understand", she said oddly unemotional, all the while retreating. "I'm fine."

She turned around and Ash felt awful. If nothing else, he knew Serena wasn't fine. Not knowing what else to do, he ran after her, grabbing Serena's arm and turning her around. Serena stared at him with wide eyes, and Ash kept holding her. "You kissed me", he said, because in his opinion, there was no better way getting over problems than facing them head on.

Serena's mask was breaking apart. Her gaze fell. "And you turned away", she whispered.

Ash felt like laughing then, but he knew enough not to. Instead he let his gentle smile show. "Come on, Serena, that wasn't because of you." Serena lifted her head, her brow furrowing and all Ash could think about was how cute she looked just then. "That was just me and my nervous twitching. I, um…" And as quickly as his burst of courage had come, it also disappeared, and he was left empty. "I…"

Serena's look of puzzlement was now a small, almost teasing smile. "Yeah?"

"I- uh…" Ash cleared his throat. "I didn't want to mess up the kiss", he burst out, feeling the blush again. But it was fine, because Serena's face was pink too. Ash realized he was still holding onto Serena's arm quite tightly, and he eased his grasp, instead sliding his hands around her, pulling her closer.

Serena's eyes were bright as diamonds as she leaned in again, and this time the kiss connected.

* * *

**Chapter 10**

 

Ash was taking longer than Pikachu liked, and he decided to investigate.

His best friend had been shaky and twitchy the whole rest of the day after Team Rocket's attack, skin covered in tiny scratches and probably in more pain than he let on. Pikachu had eventually let it go after Ash got annoyed about his fussing, but now when the human had climbed onto the roof to "clear his head" and hadn't returned, Pikachu felt like taking action.

He sneaked out of Ash's room to the hallway, searching for the stairs. Turning a corner, he almost ran straight into Dedenne. They both jumped backwards, their electricity greeting each other before words could.

' _Hi!_ ' chirped Dedenne, looking happy to see a familiar face.

' _Hey_ ', said Pikachu. He was glad too, he really liked Dedenne. He still wondered why the tiny Pokémon wasn't with Bonnie.

Apparently, Dedenne was wondering the same thing. ' _Have you seen Bonnie_?' it asked enthusiastically. ' _I got lost_.'

Pikachu shook his head. ' _Sorry, no_.' He thought for a second. ' _Her room is in the end of the hall, though. Maybe she's there. Hey, do you know where the stairwell is?_ '

But Dedenne only heard the directions to Bonnie, shouted a thanks and scurried past Pikachu, leaving him standing there to stare at nothing. After a moment of confusion he shrugged and continued his search, pushing open doors and peeking through windows.

His search was successful, and soon he was running up the stairs, coming up with scenarios of what was going on on the roof. Maybe Ash had fainted or fallen asleep, or maybe he was in great pain! Pikachu's speed increased. Maybe Team Rocket came back!

Pikachu tackled the final door open and burst onto the roof terrace with a bang. He landed gracefully on the concrete flooring, cheeks sparkling and body tense, ready for anything.

But the scene in front of him was nothing he was prepared for.

* * *

The kiss was quick, stiff and kind of awkward, but if was the best thing Serena had ever experienced.

When it was over, they leaned a bit backwards, though Ash was still holding her in his arms. She couldn't control her smile, enjoying his touch and the lingering feeling on her lips. She used the frozen moment to study his face, amazed how close they were, and not wanting to miss even the littlest detail. Ash was like a still picture, staring at her with wide eyes, face red and looking funny.

Seeing his almost panicked face, Serena's nerves finally unwound, and suddenly she felt her body start to shake and her throat bubble with laughter. Her body constricted, and soon she was giggling loudly, her hands shooting up to grab Ash's arms for support.

For a second longer, Ash was standing like statue before he burst into life too.

His arms went tense as he tried to hold Serena upwards and his stature slouched. "What?" he asked, sounding almost angry. It only fueled Serena's laughter, and she felt her eyes tearing up with it. "Serena, what's so funny?" Ash pleaded. "Was it bad? Did I mess up?"

Serena shook her head and pressed her face against his chest, breathing in his scent and hugging her arms around him. Taking deep breaths, she finally calmed down enough to talk. "No, no! I'm just… I'm so relieved." She hugged him tighter, and felt him slowly relaxing too, rubbing his hand up and down her back. "I just can't believe this is really happening. That we kissed. That you actually… like me."

Ash was silent for a moment. Serena was still leaning against him, listening to his heart beating. It was rapid but strong, and Serena remembered how unstable it had been only just over a week ago. She didn't want to ever let go.

When Ash then spoke, it was with a quiet voice but Serena could hear his smile. "Yeah…" he was saying. "I don't really believe it either. I mean, I have never felt like this for anyone. I don't even really know _how_ I feel. I just know it's something special."

Serena lifted her face to look at him again, delighted to see his floppy smile and altogether more Ash-like appearance. "It's special, all right", she answered with laughter in her voice, leaning in so their noses touched. Ash's breath caught, but he didn't pull back.

They kissed again, and it was a bit better that time, less cautious and more relaxed.

Ash said: "I think I need to sit down for a moment."

Serena laughed, taking his hand and leading him back to the raised edge of the terrace. She pushed him to sit down, remaining standing herself but kept holding his hand, looming over him. She stared at him intensely. "You all right?"

Ash nodded, his slightly unfocused eyes finding hers again. "Yeah. It's just been… an eventful day." He grinned, running a hand through his still-damp hair. "Not all bad, though."

Serena smiled, blushing. Still, she looked at Ash and saw the circles under his eyes, the newly scratched up side of his face, the weariness that laid just under the controlled surface. She said: "You are right, it's been a long day. Maybe we should go to bed."

Ash pouted, not moving an inch. Abruptly he tugged Serena's hand, pulling her off balance so she staggered towards him and landed on his lap. Surprised, Serena went along with it, steadying herself by grabbing his shoulders. She more felt than heard Ash sighing, and he leaned his head against her shoulder. "I would rather rest here", he mumbled, sounding sleepy.

Serena didn't know whether to feel amused or concerned by this, so for a while, she did nothing. She felt warm and comfortable, and listening to his steady breathing, she wondered distantly if she should stop this before they both fell asleep on the spot.

The moment stretched, and it dawned on Serena that she didn't really have enough self-discipline to care. Relaxing against Ash, she closed her eyes. She would just enjoy this for a little while.

She might have fallen asleep after all, because she sure was startled when the terrace door suddenly slammed open with a loud bang.

* * *

Pikachu stared at the humans, sitting there tangled together and looking around in drowsy confusion like they had just woken up from a century long coma. Serena was on Ash's lap, though it only took seconds before she had jumped up and retreated away from him, facing the doorway with wide eyes.

Ash tried to stand up too, but sat instantly back down, groaning: "Ow! My legs are so asleep!"

Serena face was bright red as she exclaimed: "Sorry!"

Pikachu wasn't sure if she said to him or Ash, but he was too shocked to care either way. Instead, he approached Ash, calling his name. Reading his body language, Pikachu knew he was nervous. Pikachu was nervous too. In all the years he had known Ash, nothing even remotely similar to this had happened. Pikachu had thought Ash was immune to girls. Girls crushed on him, sure, but Ash was always more like a brick wall with his own emotions.

But this, now, didn't look like a brick wall to Pikachu.

Ash was rubbing his neck, smiling shakily. "H-hi, buddy", he said. "What are you doing up here?"

Pikachu stopped in front of him, staring up at his face with a stern expression. _'I would like to ask the same thing. What happened to "I'm only going to be there for a minute"?'_

Ash face went red. "I know. I- I got distracted."

Beside him, Serena covered her face with her hands, letting out a weird sound. Pikachu wasn't sure if she was laughing or crying. He continued his disappointed parent –act. ' _I can see that'_ , he said with an eye roll. Really, he was proud of Ash. This was a big step for him, and Pikachu wanted to make sure Ash knew he would support him all the way. So, to Ash's surprise, he jumped on his lap and then on his shoulder, nuzzling his ear. _'Well done, Pikapi.'_

"Pikachu", Ash smiled, raising his hand to pet him. "Thanks."

Pikachu made an approving sound before saying: _'Don't think I forgave you yet though, for letting me worry.'_

Ash laughed, lifting him off his shoulder and hugging him.

"Um", said Serena, shifting her weight beside them. "I'll… go. To sleep."

Ash stilled, his hands going tense around Pikachu as he stared at the girl. "Yeah, um, okay", he uttered, and set Pikachu next to him on the edge with a distracted movement. He stood up. "Uh, Serena…"

Serena was staring at him too, but there was a small smile playing on her lips. "Yeah?"

Ash was stiff like brick again, Pikachu thought. His gaze met with Serena's, the girl's eyes questioning. Pikachu nodded, and Serena's smile went wide.

Ash, unaware of the silent agreement, swallowed. "Uh… good night."

Serena giggled shortly, closing the few steps between them. She rested her arms on his shoulders, leaning really close. "Good night, Ash."

As the boy just kept standing there, Pikachu got annoyed. He snapped: ' _Pikapi._ '

Ash jumped, and seemed to get a hold of himself again. He hugged Serena gently. "Sleep well", he murmured. He gave her a quick kiss, not seeming very comfortable with Pikachu's watchful eyes following their every movement. Serena answered with a small kiss too, and stepped away. "You too", she smiled and turned around, soon disappearing through the doorway.

When she was gone, Ash collapsed back on the terrace edge, letting out a long breath. He turned to look at Pikachu. "What's going on, Pikachu?" he asked, desperate. "How- how did this even happen?"

Pikachu tilted his head. He had no answers for that.

* * *

Sitting in the breakfast table the following morning, Clemont wondered if something strange was going on. Ash and Serena were very quiet, occasionally glancing at each other, making strange faces. Pikachu was on the floor having a meeting with all of Ash's other Pokémon, and last night Clemont had seen him running along the hallway, looking vehemently for something.

He supposed Pikachu had been looking for Ash, so he asked: "So Ash, where were you last evening?"

Ash almost chocked on his food and he bended down, coughing. Serena patted his back with a nervous expression. Ash straightened his back, his grin wide but eyes scared. "Nowhere! I wasn't anywhere! What makes you think I was somewhere?"

Bonnie hid her face, giggling, but Clemont was stunned in confusion. "U-um… All right."

Serena smiled, her hand been left on Ash's shoulder. "He was with me. On the roof."

Letting out a squeal, Bonnie whooped: "I knew it!" But Clemont just stared at her and then at his newest friends. "Knew what?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes, patting his arm like she was sorry for him. "Boys can be so dense."

Still not getting it, Clemont said: "Dense?" Then he looked again at Serena and Ash, the hand on Ash's shoulder, the nervous blush on his face. His eyes widened. "Wait… You two are… together?"

There was a cry from the doorway: "Oh, wonderful!" Suddenly Delia was there, hugging Ash's head from behind. "My little boy has grown up! I knew there was something between you and Serena!"

Ash's face was red and annoyed, and he tried to shake his mom of with little success. "Mom!" he yelled, struggling. "Stop it!"

Eventually Delia let go, turning to Serena and hugging her, too. "You are such a great girl! I'm sure you will take good care of my Ash!" Serena was blushing too, but she was smiling, looking quite happy.

"I would like to", said Serena, looking fondly at Ash who smiled too, and for a moment they saw nothing but each other.

* * *

Later that day, Ash was at the hospital with Pikachu, Serena and his mom, getting checked up by his doctor.

"You have recovered exceptionally well", the doctor was saying. "It's now the thirteenth day of your treatment. Initially I wanted to keep you firmly in your bed at least for the full two weeks, but I can see there's wasn't really need for that."

Ash nodded, posing proudly, Pikachu mimicking him on his shoulder. "That's right", he said. "I have reached perfect health!"

Serena and Delia looked at each other, sighing. The doctor said: "Not so fast, Ash. I still order you at least a week of rest with minimal to no exercise or stress. You went through some ordeals lately, and even if you don't realize it yourself, your body still can't heal normally. You have to take it easy."

Ash stared at him, horrified. "No exercise? But how am I going to train my Pokémon?"

"You aren't, Ash", said Serena, taking his hand. "You have to sit back for a while longer."

She had never seen Ash look so disappointed. "No way!" he said, standing up. "I got to train! I'm aiming for the Kalos league and it's only getting closer!"

Delia grabbed his arm, pulling him back down. "Oh honey", she said sadly. "I know it's hard. But there's still plenty of time to get ready for the league!"

The doctor nodded. "If you are not in your best shape, neither can you train you Pokémon perfectly. But if you wait just a week longer, you will notice how much stronger you feel, and your Pokémon will notice it too."

Ash considered this, finally relenting. "Fine. I will try to take it easy." He slouched on his chair, and Pikachu pouted along with him.

Delia huffed, but Serena said: "Don't worry, I will see that he does."

Ash started to argue, but when his eyes connected with Serena's, he realized he might not get too bored after all while banned from training.

* * *

The following day, Ash, Serena, Bonnie and Clemont were in Professor Sycamore's garden, sitting on the grass and playing with their Pokémon.

They had talked with Professor Sycamore and also made a call to Professor Oak, both who were very happy to hear Ash was already up and about, feeling quite well. When Ash's team of Pokémon got released on a grassy field by their trainer, being sure it would finally be time to train, they got the exact same disappointed appearance as Ash when told there would be no battling in a while just yet.

Ash was sitting cross-legged on the grass, throwing sticks into the air for Frogadier to try to hit with its Water Pulse. It was too easy for Frogadier, getting boring after a while, and Ash sighed, leaning back on the grass and staring at his shoes. Serena was next to him, braiding a flower crown for Fennekin and noticed his low mood.

She reached out and lifted his hat a bit to get a better view of his face. Seeing his frown, she asked: "What's wrong?"

Ash kept staring straight ahead, shrugging ever so slightly. "Nothing", he said. There was a silence, during which Serena kept her hold of his hat, studying his face intensely, and soon Ash stubbornness started to crumble. "Oh man, fine", he sighed. "It's just… I'm tired of this." He turned to glance at Serena, before looking around the beautiful garden. "I mean, this beats the hospital bed, of course, but now it's almost harder to resist doing stuff. I really miss the feeling I get when I battle with my Pokémon."

Serena nodded compassionately. "I get it. Even though I don't yet have a dream of my own, I can understand how hard it must be when you're not allowed to do what you are passionate about." She looked at the flower crown on her hands, thoughtful. "There are so many things I like to do, but sometimes I wonder if I'll ever find the thing I really want to achieve."

Ash smiled. "Don't worry Serena. You got lots of time to figure out your dream."

Fennekin ran past them, turned around and jumped on Serena's lap, making her laugh. "Yeah, I guess." She petted Fennekin, placing the flower crown on the Pokémon but it was way too big, flopping down to cover its eyes. Fennekin sneezed, shaking the accessory off and ran off again, playing tag with Pikachu and Hawlucha. Serena smiled. "I'm really glad I got Fennekin. Maybe I will find my dream with it."

"I'm sure you will", said Ash. Still feeling a bit weird and insecure about their developing relationship, he reached out and gently touched her cheek. Serena's face went pink and her eyes were big and full of wonder. "Serena… You are amazing person", he said haltingly, and Serena stared at him. "The way you took care of me and stayed with me day after day when I was sick... I can never thank you enough."

Serena felt like crying. "Ash…"

Suddenly Ash dropped his hand and leaned back, letting out a nervous laugh and rubbing his neck. "I mean", he said a bit too loudly. "Really, you can achieve anything you want, if you really try. It might take a while, but you should never stop doing your best!"

Serena grinned. "I know, and that's something I have learned from you, Ash. Because you are an amazing person as well." Before Ash could answer, Serena dashed in and snatched his hat away, placing the flower crown on his head instead. She giggled at his stunned expression, and soon a furious struggle followed where he tried to take it off and Serena was holding his wrists, stopping his attempts.

After a minute of wrestling, they were both laughing uncontrollably, faces flushed and collapsed on the grass, Serena half on top of Ash. That's when they heard Bonnie's voice coming from above them: "You two lovebirds ready for lunch?"

Serena had never got up so fast.

* * *

At lunch at Bonnie and Clemont's house, they were talking about the future gym battle of Ash versus Clemont. Clemont admitted he was nervous about the battle, having gotten quite rusty when letting Clembot do all the work for him, while Ash tried to assure him he would be rusty too after this long of a break from training.

"I'm a bit worried", he was saying. "There's some really tough gyms still ahead of me."

Bonnie was gripping her fork with white knuckles. "I'm _so_ excited for your battle! You must be really good, Ash. And I haven't seen Clemont battle in ages!"

Ash smiled embarrassed. "I'm nothing special", he mumbled. Then he looked at Clemont, his eyes getting determined, and grinned: "Watch out, I'm still going to beat you, though."

Clemont chuckled. "We will see about that."

Serena was watching them amused. "What are you going to do after that, Ash? Will you leave straight away to the next gym?"

Ash nodded, thoughtful. "Yeah, I have to. There's not too much time to sit around."

Bonnie suddenly perked up, waving her fork around and nearly hitting Clemont with it. "Hey, we had something to ask you about, didn't we big bro?" she exclaimed. When Clemont looked confused, she added: "About the rest of Ash's journey."

"Oh, that's right", Clemont said, smiling. He turned to Ash, who looked curious. "If it's all right with you, we would like to travel with you on your way to the Kalos league!"

"Yeah, and we already got a yes from Pikachu, didn't we", said Bonnie, and Pikachu nodded proudly. Ash laughed. "You bet you can join me!" he said. "It's always more fun to travel with friends."

The siblings cheered, and Ash turned to Serena. "Will you come with us too?" he asked, strangely anxious. For a second, Serena pursed her lips like she was considering it, making him worry, but then she leaned in, kissing his cheek. "Don't be silly, of course I will, Ash!"

Their excitement got cut short when Bonnie and Clemont's dad peeked his head through the kitchen doorway and said: "Kids, there someone here to see you."

Detective Jennifer walked in and they all got serious. "Sorry to interrupt your lunch", she said, taking a stand at the end of the table. "Professor Sycamore told me I would find you here. Don't worry, this won't take long."

"That's all right", said Ash. "What's up?"

The detective handed him a picture. "This is the latest shot of the Team Rocket members that follow you around, taken by a bystander. After some research, we found some information of the bigger organization they work in, but apparently the headquarters is situated somewhere in Kanto and we won't have authorization to lead that investigation. If these Jessie and James have returned there, I'm afraid there's not much we can do."

The photo was a shaky shot of the Diglett machine with Jessie, James and Meowth standing on top of it. Ash could also see himself and Serena as tiny spots on the lower corner of the picture, preparing to defend against them. He handed it back to Detective Jennifer. "That's Team Rocket, all right. I don't expect you to catch them. They have a way of escaping from anywhere."

The detective still looked annoyed about her unsuccessful police work. "I was horrified to hear they managed to attack you again, two days in a row. That's isn't acceptable. I hope you can forgive our mistakes."

Ash didn't seem too bothered. "Sure. There really was nothing you could have done."

Detective Jennifer looked like she wanted to argue, but sighed then. "Well, we will keep an eye out for them anyway. I have sent their descriptions out to every station in Kalos." She put the picture in her pocket, getting ready to leave. "Please, stay safe out there, all of you."

"We will. Thank you, detective", said Ash smiling, and Serena and the siblings said the same. They watched in silence as the detective left, but after a short pensive moment they continued their talk about the journey through Kalos and soon the atmosphere was as high as ever.

* * *

It was a morning exactly a week later from Ash's previous doctor's appointment, when Serena woke up to the sounds of Ash getting ready. She opened her eyes to the light of rising sun, noticing the early hour.

Ash was rummaging his backpack, already fully clothed, looking for something. Serena yawned and rubbed her messy hair. "Where are you going?" she asked Ash. "It's so early."

Ash turned to look at her, grinning widely. "It's training time!" he exclaimed, and finally found the thing he had searched for, his Pokédex. "I'm going for a run."

"What?" Serena pushed her covers aside, sitting up. "Ash, don't overdo it! I know it's the first day you are allowed exercise but you shouldn't start of too heavy!"

Ash put the Pokédex in his pocket, standing up and letting Pikachu jump on his shoulder. "I won't", he assured off-handedly, but Serena didn't really believe him. Ash went on: "it's just a little run to get warmed up. Then I will train my Pokémon and that only includes me standing in one place!"

Serena worried her lip, staring up at him. "I still don't like it. Where will you go? As soon as I get ready I will come to watch you train."

Ash shrugged, anxious to get going. "Maybe in the park. It should be quiet this early in the morning." He turned to Pikachu, his eyes getting wide and bright. "Let's go Pikachu! It's finally time for us to train together again!"

Pikachu chirped in excitement, and Ash shouted a "See you!" and sprinted out of the door, Serena watching after him feeling both amused and worried. She was still tired, but her nerves got the best of her and she stood up, getting ready to go after Ash.

She ran into sleepy Bonnie in the hall, explaining where she was going after the little girl demanded to know why she was fully prepared so early. After hearing Ash was about to train, Bonnie got excited too, and said she would wake up Clemont and they would soon follow them to the park.

To Serena's big relief, Ash had really done only a small jog and was in the park where he had said he would be, crouching on the grass and talking to his team of Pokémon. Serena approached them, hugging her arms in the chilly morning air and sat down a small distance away to watch as Ash hyped his team and himself up for the training. Serena thought it was really sweet, the Pokémon jumping on the spot and letting out enthusiastic cries.

"All right", Ash said finally, standing up. "First I will battle with Pikachu. Who wants to be the opponent?" All of them cheered, trying to get the first chance, but Frogadier splashed them all with its Bubbles and jumped in front of Ash, assuming a battle stance. Ash grinned, all fired up. "All right, you're up first, Frogadier. The rest of you, train against each other like we have done this past week. Fletchinder and Hawlucha, you start. Sorry Goomy, you get the first watch."

During her time spent with Ash, Serena had found it surprising how much she liked to watch the Pokémon battles Ash had overseen so far, and now found out she liked to watch Ash himself battle even more. He got instantly totally into it, moving with his Pokémon and shouting the commands to Pikachu with such determination that Serena couldn't help but smile. She could truly see the passion Ash had for his Pokémon and for the art of battling.

Frogadier gave it its all, but after a tough battle Pikachu emerged as the winner. Ash thanked them both, and chose Goomy as his next battle partner and Hawlucha, who had won against Fletchinder, as the opponent. The battles continued, and Serena let out Fennekin, turning to talk to it. "Do you think you would like to battle like this, Fennekin?" she asked. Fennekin looked hesitant, watching as Ash's Pokémon got thrown around, getting mud and dirt all over them. "Yeah, maybe there is something else we can do together, right?" Serena continued with a smile, noticing Fennekin's disgusted look. Serena sighed, looking down. "I just don't yet know what that will be."

After a while, Ash took a break and sat next to her, trying to catch his breath. "Oh man, I'm in so bad shape", he complained, slumping down to lay on the grass and stared up at the sky. "I'm not used to it."

Serena smiled, stroking the sweaty hair on his forehead. "Of course it won't instantly be the same as before. But you will get your strength back soon, I'm sure."

Ash closed his eyes, enjoying the touch. "Yeah. And when I do, there's nothing that can stop me from getting all the badges and winning the Kalos league!" With that he sat up, pumping the air with his fist. Next to him on the grass, Pikachu mimicked him again, and Serena giggled.

"That's right", she said pleased. "And I will be there with you all the way."

Ash's smile was warm and soft as he answered: "I know, and that's awesome." He turned to stare at his Pokémon, still enthusiastically training in pairs. "I'm so lucky, Serena", he said with a faraway look in his eyes. "I have such great friends and Pokémon. And add to that the fact you _like_ me…" He turned to grin at her. "It's pretty unbelievable."

Serena punched his shoulder with a playful smile. "Don't be silly, Ash. We both know it's me who is the lucky one here." Ash grabbed her raised fist with a challenging smirk, leaning in.

"Let's just accept you are both lucky and deeply in love with each other, and get over it, right?" a voice said, and Bonnie, followed by Clemont, appeared from behind them. Ash and Serena blushed deep red at the words, and carefully did not look at each other. It was becoming a serious problem with Bonnie interrupting their sweeter moments.

Clemont looked very uncomfortable too. "Come on Bonnie, don't say things like that", he moaned.

Bonnie sneered at him. "What? It's the truth, isn't it?" She turned at the couple, who both were still sitting there quite flustered. Embarrassed, Clemont grabbed his sister's arm and dragged her away.

"Uh", said Ash, glancing at Serena.

All of Ash's Pokémon had ceased their training and were also staring at him and Serena, before quietly leaving the scene one by one. "Um", said Serena, feeling her heart rate increase at the word 'love'. She hadn't really thought about it, but now that she did, she realized it wasn't necessarily untrue. Ash seemed to be on the same trail, eventually shrugging and saying: "Yeah, I guess. Uh..."

Serena wanted to explode from happiness, but decided to leave freaking out for later, when she would be alone. Instead, she grinned wide, leaning in to kiss him softly. "I guess I kind of love you too", she whispered, only for his ears to hear. Pikachu jumped on Serena's shoulder, and Ash stared in amazement at the two faces he loved the most in the world.

There was no challenge. He was the luckiest of them all.

 

 


End file.
